Need A Haircut? Not Yet In A Florida Salon Or Barbershop. But DeSantis Is Talking Reopening Strategies

May 3, 2020

As many types of businesses across Florida reopen Monday with restrictions, barber shops, hair salons and other personal care services will remain closed.

“Throughout this whole time, I’ve said I’d rather get it right than get it fast,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told a group of hair stylists and barbers this weekend at the Ohsooojazzy Hair Salon in Orlando. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to sit on our hands. But we just want to be very thorough about how we’re doing it.”

They assured DeSantis they are ready with the extra steps to keep their clients safe.

“Our biggest thing is we don’t want to just keep ourselves safe,” Nadine Armstrong-Tarpley, an owner of Ohsooojazzy, told DeSantis. “We love our clients … so we want to keep them safe.”

They said they can limit the number of clients in their shops and schedule times to see their clients most at risk from COVID-19 like older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions, all while upgrading already stringent sanitation requirements.

“We have hand sanitizer by the dozens in here. We have a manufacturer here in Orlando that supplies it to us, so it’s always readily available,” Armstrong-Tarpley said. “We’ve even gone a step further to order disposable capes so it’s never touching again. We have masks in the front, just in case someone doesn’t bring one in. We’ve supplied masks to all of our stylists.”

The governor said he’ll take the measures back to the the state barber and cosmetology licensing boards.

“If it vets and it’s safe, then I think we have a responsibility to get the ‘yes’ on this stuff,” said DeSantis, who joked that he has not had a haircut since February.

Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis meets with hair stylists and barbers at an Orlando salon this weekend. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

25 Responses to “Need A Haircut? Not Yet In A Florida Salon Or Barbershop. But DeSantis Is Talking Reopening Strategies”

  1. ella on May 7th, 2020 2:16 pm

    I don’t think people realize how much sanitizing is done in a salon. Every year updates on new germs ,bacteria and the means to control or destroy them. Every cosmetologist in America has been educated with these procedures Their cosmetology career begins with salon sanitation,continuing education “Sanitation and sterilization in the salon industry”

  2. Alex Crawford on May 7th, 2020 8:51 am

    No one has to go the beaches, go out or go to a hairdresser if they don’t want to. However let hair salons that want to open and people who want to go go to them. We are losing our liberty with this lock down insanity. Walmarts have far more customers than Mom and Pop stores yet they are not permitted to open.
    We are not children and should be trusted to make our own decisions as to where we go and what we do. The lock down was to protect hospitals from being overrun NOT to stop the virus. In New York 66% of cases are among those who sheltered in place so how does this make sense.
    Please give people back their right to make decisions foe themselves.

  3. Jdub on May 6th, 2020 9:57 pm

    @ Donna Lett you stated “I don’t think beaches,hair salons & barbershop should open due to the social distance.It already have been increased in deaths over weekend’s an opening the public isn’t safe.”

    Did you read that 11 of the 15 Escambia County deaths came from long term living facilities….NOT because of beaches and other stuff opening back up. The tactics of using fear to control people is getting old. Those that want to get out and about…fine…whatever do it! If you are freaking out about it then stay holed up at home. It’s actually more dangerous for dental hygienists to return to work compared to those in the hair and nail business!

  4. Lisa on May 5th, 2020 1:14 pm

    This guy is all wrong. My sister is a dental hygienist and is about to put her life at risk because of no common sense. But a barber can’t open? Everything is backwards including the governor.

  5. Obie1 on May 5th, 2020 10:21 am

    OPEN EVERYTHING UP! ACROSS THE BOARD…LET’S ROLL!!!

  6. Gideon C. Dengle on May 5th, 2020 8:30 am

    It’s clear that the governor is just playing “follow the leader” with the other states. In the press conferences/briefings, he quotes a pile of stats and does the razzle dazzle for the camera, giving the impression that it’s all so very scientific, but it’s not. A barber/stylist can prep for the appointment by hand washing and wearing a mask, and have the client do the same. The stylist stands behind the client, so there is another separation layer there. This is less risky than the restaurant openings and store openings.

  7. ROBERT on May 5th, 2020 1:29 am

    I hope gyms open soon too. several in our area are at the breaking point. If we can survive in Walmart and other big stores ..gyms can’t be any more unsafe. Open places up and let us adults decide whether we want to go there or not.

  8. Hygienist on May 5th, 2020 12:09 am

    Meanwhile dentist and hygienist are going back to work this week with limited access to PPE and one of the most dangerous jobs due to the aerosols that we create while working. Plus side for them is they won’t have to refile for unemployment when we all run out of PPE.

  9. Nelida Iracema Quesada on May 4th, 2020 7:38 pm

    Open all ,have owners be responsible
    To do it whit common sense, little by little ,we well get back to normal.
    Until then we have responsibility for other as well our selves.

  10. Donna Lett on May 4th, 2020 7:22 pm

    I don’t think beaches,hair salons & barbershop should open due to the social distance.It already have been increased in deaths over weekend’s an opening the public isn’t safe.I know everyone is ready to get back to their regular lives an also I as well but making a big life threathen decision is important than opening businesses.There’s a lot of people isn’t wearing masks now an when these businesses reopen it will be a danger to many lives caused the virus is still out there.Think about safety.

  11. Linda on May 4th, 2020 7:05 pm

    Very unfair to hair salons and barber’s. This is their livelihood. Getting a hair cut isn’t any more dangerous than having a tooth pulled or having a waitress serve you face to face. Be realistic about the whole situation.

  12. Debra Childers on May 4th, 2020 5:58 pm

    my son is coming home from Kwait soon and is definitely going to need a Haircut, I also would like a hair apt and a visit to the nail salon. I have been wearing masks and will continue to do so! I am a responsible adult and follow all guidelines.

  13. Gloria Jean Golden on May 4th, 2020 1:56 pm

    Please open hair salons and nail salons soon

  14. southerner on May 4th, 2020 9:32 am

    I hope many a good, honest business person sues the government for lost revenue and wins.

  15. Jeff on May 4th, 2020 9:22 am

    I own a Salon Headhunter Hairstyling in Pensacola we have 9 stylist that need their livelihood back.
    We have been open since 1978

  16. Alan on May 4th, 2020 9:13 am

    They should be allowed to open with some common sense restrictions.

    1. Must have a reservation system (no walk ins)
    2. People stay in their vehicles until called in for their haircut.
    3. No one allowed in common waiting area.
    4. No one should be within 6-8 foot of each other unless in separate rooms.

  17. Tasing kids on May 4th, 2020 9:06 am

    One for all, all of one. If you open business for what ever reason you think is right. Close the ones that really are hurting isn’t doing the right thing. Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, crowded like Black Friday and the person to person salons/barber shops should be allowed to do business!

  18. judy on May 4th, 2020 8:55 am

    Governor allows the business owners to meet with him, none of them are wearing masks, and he won’t let them re-open? What kind of deal is that?

  19. Fred on May 4th, 2020 8:20 am

    I agree with Alexis. The small businesses are suffering terribly and may not survive if this goes on much longer.

  20. sam on May 4th, 2020 7:53 am

    open the barber shops. all my grandkids look like hippies. i need a shearing also.

  21. Steve Litton on May 4th, 2020 7:49 am

    Respectfully, where’s the “science” that says sitting in the dentist chair, mouth open, inches away from a technician’s face (mask or not) is more safe than getting a haircut?

  22. gmp on May 4th, 2020 1:55 am

    I hope my barber survives this, I’ve been going there for many years and don’t want to find a new one.

  23. Alexis Bolin on May 4th, 2020 1:55 am

    I think that barbers, hairdressers and nail salons should be allowed to
    Open with restrictions. After all Lowe’s and Home Depot and Supermarkets have had thousands of customers in their stores with no issues.
    Keeping these businesses closed is killing the small businesses and their employees. I urge the Governor to allow these openings.

  24. Ann Sepe on May 3rd, 2020 11:02 pm

    It is so unfair that barbers and hair salon businesses are being discriminated against. My hair stylist always wore a mask. The number of people who are in a hair salon is not anywhere near the number in a grocery store on any given day. This government rule makes no sense.

  25. Joyce on May 3rd, 2020 10:48 pm

    I don’t think the beaches should have been open up. There is no social distance and people aren’t wearing masks.