Salons swamped on day one of reopening

By GILLIAN SLADE on January 19, 2021.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade

About 10 days ago hairstylists demonstrated locally about COVID restrictions that had forced them to close, but on Monday they were open for business once more.

Paul Hemsing, an owner of Salon Purity in Crescent Heights who had helped to organize the protest, said he was “excited” to be back on the job.

On Dec. 12 Kenney invoked COVID restrictions across the province that included the closure of beauty salons. Those restrictions were then extended to at least Jan. 21.

In an unexpected announcement on Jan. 14 Health Minister Tyler Shandro said hair salons would be allowed to operate with appointments for clients starting Jan. 18.

As soon as the province announced the lifting of restrictions clients began booking appointments.

“We’re going from 9 (a.m.) till 10 at night,” said Hemsing on Monday noting he was so busy he barely had time to comment to the News.

He said clients were “super excited as well.”

Hemsing had lobbied for restrictions to be lifted noting that Premier Jason Kenney had himself said in December that there were no cases of COVID that had been linked to hairdressers.

While the restrictions were is place Hemsing had established a support group for hairdressers. He said many hairdressers are self-employed and most are women struggling to cope financially without being allowed to work.

Other restrictions that changed effective Jan. 18 include tattoo parlours being allowed to open by appointment only. Outdoor social gatherings can also take place in groups of up to 10 people. The limit on the number of people who can attend a funeral is now 20, up from 10, but funeral receptions are still prohibited.

Also lifted on Monday was the requirement for massage therapists to insist that clients have a letter of referral before being allowed an appointment.

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