PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Saturday that provides more insight into new safety measures for salons and barber shops.
The new set of guidelines follows his announcement Friday on Twitter that barber shops, hair salons and nail salons can reopen Monday "with enhanced safety protocols for all counties currently in Phase One."
.@GovRonDeSantis issued Executive Order 20-120 today to allow barbershops and cosmetology salons to begin opening to the public on Monday. For additional information and guidance from #DBPR, click here: https://t.co/SZYldlLnQy pic.twitter.com/D3h3mhGeJ8
— Florida DBPR (@FloridaDBPR) May 9, 2020
Palm Beach County was also given clearance to enter the initial phase of Florida’s reopening plan Monday.
Since the announcement, salons and barbershop owners across the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast have been rigorously preparing to reopen after months of closures.
💇♀️SALONS READY TO REOPEN💈Gov. Ron DeSantis releases guidelines for reopening salons, plan includes #PalmBeachCounty
Salons must manage capacity based on appt-only schedule and must allow at least 15 min between end of an appt and beginning of next appt for proper disinfecting pic.twitter.com/F8Mo4mo7Em
— Linnie Supall (@LinnieSupall) May 9, 2020
The guidance from Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation for those who plan to open shop, includes appointment-only customers.
Salons must also allow at least 15 minutes between bookings to ensure the facility is disinfected before the next customer enters the salon.
“I’m staggering my staff so we’re not all here at one time,” said Maria Pishos, owner of Jonathan T’s Salon. “We’re working in two different shifts.”
Jonathan T’s Salon has been serving the Palm Beach Gardens community for 45 years.
Since non-essential businesses were forced to close in March, Pishos has been preparing for this new chapter for her salon and added new policies and procedures to ensure her customers and staff are as safe as possible.
“At this rate we’re hoping that we can bounce back,” she said. “I’m usually booked all day and I’m booked in between with clients when their color is processing. Since this won’t be the case, it is going to hurt.”
In addition to limiting capacity during business hours, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is requiring licensed professionals to wear a mask when providing services.
Patrons will not be required to wear a mask while obtaining services.
However, since salons are private businesses, the owner can decide whether or not they want their clients to wear a mask with during their appointment.
Pishos is dedicated to implementing the new state requirements and is exceeding the standards with additional protocols.
All clients who receive a service at Jonathan T’s Salon will be asked to sign a liability waiver.
The form, in part, requires customers to acknowledge they are not showing any signs of infection for COVID-19.
Clients and staff members should also be prepared for a temperature check and will be required to wash their hands before their service begins.
“Hopefully this virus will go away and everybody stays safe and everybody follows the guidelines and the rules,” said Pishos.
Pishos is optimistic about this first important step to get back to business, but voiced concerns about the financial strain the new restrictions will have on the salon and its 20 employees.
“It is going to hurt,” said Pishos. “I hope that this is not how it’s going to be from here out, because if that’s the case then we will be struggling.”