Barbers, beauty shops reopen after long pandemic shutdown

Barbers and cosmetologists in Arizona were permitted to reopen their shops Friday after being closed for weeks due to the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

At Joe’s: A Barber Shop on Honeycutt Road just before noon, owner Joe Templin and four other barbers were busy snipping the hair of customers – young and old – from behind face masks.

The appointment-based businesses could welcome back customers as long they established and implemented safety protocols and best practices, including the use of face coverings for employees and customers, maintaining physical distancing, operating by appointment only and following protocols as directed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Labor Division of Occupational Safety and the Arizona Department of Health Services.

When Gov. Doug Ducey announced a stay-at-home order on March 30, there were 1,200 statewide cases of coronavirus and 24 deaths. It closed all non-essential businesses. The order remains in effect until Friday, May 15, but Ducey is relaxing restrictions on retail operations, barber and beauty shops, and restaurants.

As of Friday afternoon, there have been a reported 10,526 cases of the virus and 517 deaths in the state.

Non-essential retailers could also welcome in-store shoppers on Friday as long as they followed public health protocols, including “strict physical distancing requirements” and adherence to CDC guidelines, including such as reduced occupancy, screening for symptoms before employees’ shifts, comprehensive sanitation protocols and options for curbside or delivery. Stores were encouraged to provide face masks to both employees and customers.

There are still restrictions against large gatherings.

On Monday, restaurants and coffee shops may resume dine-in services with operators establishing and implementing safety protocols and best practices, including reduced occupancy, face masks for staff, physical distancing measures and dining parties limited to 10 people. According to CDC guidance, restaurants should sanitize customer areas after each sitting with EPA-registered disinfectant, including tables, tablecloths, chairs and booth seats, table-top condiments and condiment holders and any other surface or item a customer is likely to have touched.

A week ago, the City of Maricopa reopened some parks and recreation facilities, including the dog park, ramadas and shade structures, playgrounds and the skate park, tennis and pickleball courts and some athletic fields.