Salons and barber shops criticize Governor Kelly over reopen plan

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) It’s been a week since Governor Kelly issued her plan to reopen the state in phases. Since the decision, the Governor has received some criticism from salons and barber shops in the state on her decision to have them reopen in Phase 2 which is set to begin May 18th.

Many salons and barber shops are self employed, and will go at least 8 weeks without their business and an income. Some say they should have been included in phase 1 of reopening the state.

“Our argument to open up with the rest of the state was the fact that they had all of these things in place and they could do a lot of distancing,” says Cindy Green, the manager of the Cosmetology and Barbering Association of Kansas. “Sure you’re going to have one of one with your particular client, but you could set it up that many of them said they would have customers sit in their car or text them when it was their time. Or in their seating area they would make sure the seating was 6 feet a part. They would stop and sanitize the area before the next client sat in the chair. So a lot of them have health standards above and beyond what they are required because KDHE already has a lot of requirements on this industry.”

Governor Kelly had a conference call with industry leaders before making her decision to have salons and barber shops reopen in Phase 2.

“This will require them to take it up a notch and be very conscientious,” says Governor Kelly. “You can’t be a walk-in…you have to have an appointment. Two, you have to wait in your car before coming in. They have to put all of those things in place. It will require signage, it will require a variety of things. So that’s part of it. But it’s also no longer maintaining the six feet. So let’s see how this (first) phase goes first.”

You can read the Governor’s full reopening plan at: https://www.ksnt.com/health/coronavirus/gov-kelly-gives-address-on-kansas-reopening-plan/