Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says barbershops, hair and nails salons can reopen May 11.
DeSantis disclosed the decision in a video on his official social media accounts May 8 delivered by Orlando barbershop owner J. Henry.
Employees will be required to wear gloves and masks to limit the risk of spreading COVID-19, according to the video.
Customers will have to book appointments, the video states.
The closures will be lifted in all Florida counties currently part of the phase one reopening of the state’s economy. That will exclude businesses in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
DeSantis implemented phase one May 4, allowing restaurant dining areas and retail stores to reopen at 25% capacity.
“We considered this for phase one, and my view is we need to talk with doctors, we need to talk with the industry to figure out what we need to do to reduce risk,” DeSantis said May 8 in Jacksonville.
The governor held a roundtable May 2 with health care experts and barbershop and salon owners in Orlando to discuss safety measures to reopen the industry.
DeSantis alluded to an announcement while in Jacksonville on May 8.
“Look, I practically have a mullet. I haven’t had a haircut in a long time. We just want to make sure we’re going in a safe, smart, step-by-step approach, and we’re being very judicious in everything we’re doing,” he said. “But, I absolutely see a path and I think if people watch out, I think that you’ll be hearing something on that really soon.”
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said in a tweet May 8 he plans to follow DeSantis’s move and reopen Duval County personal service businesses next week.
“I’m continuing to work closely with @GovRonDeSantis to safely & smartly reopen Duval County, step by step. Based on his announcement today and as a county that’s currently in phase one, we will open the following effective Monday, May 11: Barbershops, hair & nail salons,” Curry wrote.
The reopening does not apply to gyms.
In a stop May 8 in Palm Beach County, DeSantis told local officials the county can enter phase one and allow some nonessential businesses including restaurants and retail to resume operations.
Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Broward counties were excluded from DeSantis phase one reopening when it was announced April 29.
The three southeast Florida counties saw the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout the pandemic
On May 8, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine COVID-19 tracker showed Palm Beach County with 3,587 confirmed cases and 222 deaths. Broward County had 5,677 confirmed cases and 230 deaths.
Florida’s largest coronavirus hot spot, Miami-Dade County, recorded 13,585 cases and 454 deaths.
