Hair salons, barbershops, tattoo studios, nail salons, massage parlors and medical spas on Friday became the latest businesses to receive clearance to reopen, with restrictions designed to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.
Rules issued by the state Department of Health allow those businesses to open Wednesday.
"With Mother's Day approaching, coming up, we all want a haircut or some type of treatment, and professionals also want to safely return to the business that they love and enjoy," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
Not all salon owners are eager to reopen, however.
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Veronica Wirges, owner of V-Star Salon in North Little Rock, called Hutchinson's decision "upsetting" and one that was made without any "understanding of how our industry works or how dangerous this could turn out to be."
She said she and her husband, a licensed massage therapist, are willing to wait on reopening and even go into a small amount of debt to ensure they're not rushing into anything.
"We're in people's personal space," she said. "We're working around their faces. ... I can't tell you how many times I've been coughed on or sneezed on during a bang trim."
As a protection against that particular risk, rules issued by the Health Department require customers to wear a face covering, such as a cloth mask, "as services permit."
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"Obviously, if you're getting a facial, you take your mask off, and so you have to be practical about that," Hutchinson said.
The rules also require workers to wear masks at all times; limit the number of people who can be in the business at one time to 10 in most instances; and require the services to be provided by appointment only.
When possible, the rules say, customers who are waiting should remain outside the business until it's their turn.
The rules were issued as the state's death toll from the coronavirus rose by three, to 64, and the number of cases in the state's tally increased by 40, to 3,321.
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On Friday evening, however, the total number of cases reported on a state website fell slightly, to 3,310. The Health Department didn't immediately respond to inquiries about the reason for the change.
Also on Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that rural hospitals and health clinics in Arkansas will receive $200 million in assistance under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Under a separate category of relief for hospitals that have provided inpatient care to at least 100 covid-19 patients, one Arkansas hospital, which wasn't named, will receive $8.8 million, the department announced.
RECORDS REQUIRED
The Health Department's rules for beauty salons and other businesses require them to keep a record of the names and contact information for all clients served in the past month.
Customers must wait two weeks before being served if they have symptoms of covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, or have been in contact with someone known to be infected with the virus within the past two weeks.
People older than 65 or with chronic medical conditions "should consider remaining home," the rules say.
Employees must also be screened for symptoms and possible exposure to the virus and have their temperature checked each day.
People inside the business must stay 6 feet from each other except to have a service performed.
"For most entities, occupancy will be limited to no more than 10 persons, including all support staff," the rules say.
Larger facilities that are able to accommodate more than 10 people while maintaining appropriate distance "shall operate no more than 30% of their stations," the rules say.
Barbering, cosmetology, body art and massage schools will not be allowed to open for in-person instruction but can hold examinations using mannequins or other objects.
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Under the second phase of eased restrictions, which Hutchinson said will start if the state continues to make progress in slowing the spread of the virus, more people will be allowed in the businesses and walk-ins could be allowed. In-person instruction in schools may also be allowed to resume, he said.
Health Department Secretary Nate Smith said the rules will be enforced by his department and the state Department of Labor and Licensing, which includes the Board of Barber Examiners, during routine inspections and in response to complaints.
"These industries are already practicing a lot of infection-control protocols, and this will be treated just like those for as long we need these additional directives," he said.
The department will hold an online seminar on the new rules Tuesday, said Michelle Smith, director of the department's office of health equity and HIV elimination.
STYLISTS UNEASY
Wirges, 41, the North Little Rock salon owner, said at least 11 of her clients have either been infected by the coronavirus or are waiting on test results. That translates to 11 possible times she could have been exposed to infection if her business had not been closed, she said.
The salon has up to 500 clients, so when it comes time to reopen, she knows she can quickly recoup what she's lost. She worries about others who don't have that luxury.
"I can tell what some of my clients have had for lunch during an eyebrow wax," Wirges said, further describing how little space there can be between stylist and client. "I wish we were erring more on caution," she said.
Other salon owners expressed a mix of excitement and trepidation.
Amy Hester, owner of Red Beauty Lounge, said she's nervous about reopening but looking forward to interacting with clients again.
"I'm ready to get my clients' hair done," she said, pointing out that her male clients are probably the most eager to get trimmed. "I know they're looking shaggy ... with their sideburn fuzz."
To occupy her time since her business was forced to close in March, Hester, 45, has cleaned and stocked her Little Rock salon. Money hasn't been rolling in as her anxiety continues to mount with each passing day. The extended break has never felt like a vacation, she said.
During the next few days, she'll be devising ways to follow the restrictions set forth by the state while setting up a rotation for her employees. She must figure out a way to keep her salon at no more than 30% capacity and keep her clients feeling safe and comfortable.
"One of the discussions may be that we don't use blow-dryers for a while," Hester said.
Kelly Rivers, a 27-year-old hairstylist at Symmetrix Hair Salon in Searcy, said she also has concerns but doesn't want to lose clients.
"If I don't go back, they will go get their hair done someplace else," Rivers said.
Wearing a mask will take some getting used to, as will making sure her clients are wearing them, she said. Enforcing such rules makes the salon experience more stressful for the client, something stylists want to avoid, Rivers said.
"They always need to be comfortable and relaxed," she said of her clientele. But now, "The moment they walk into our salon, they will need to have their temperature taken. It's hard for them to maintain a certain comfort level when you do that."
Barbershops face similar challenges.
Drew Garrison, 36, who works at Uptown Barber Lounge in Bentonville, said he is relieved to be going back to work in some capacity, but everyone at his shop realizes they will have to adjust to a long list of restrictions.
Only some of the barbers can be working at once, so that means someone may have to be called upon to stay outside and summon the clients into the shop one by one.
"Basically, we're all just working part time," Garrison said.
Nonetheless, bookings are coming from clients who want their hair cut as soon as possible.
"As soon as [the governor] made the announcement, my phone has not stopped ringing," Garrison said.
"My biggest fear throughout all of this is that [the virus] will pick up again in the fall and we'll be right back in the same boat we're in now," Garrison said. "But what can you do? Either you got to work and try to make your money or sit it out. It's a weird situation."
APPROACH PRAISED
The rules for hair salons and other businesses are part of Hutchinson's first phase of the easing of restrictions that were imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Other rules issued this week will allow fitness clubs to reopen Monday and restaurants to offer dine-in service May 11.
An announcement regarding places of worship and venues such as concerts and sporting events is scheduled for Monday.
Several Republican state legislators signed on to identical statements issued Friday in support of Hutchinson's "measured" approach.
The statements, signed by 15 senators and 45 representatives, commended Arkansans for making sacrifices to "flatten the curve," and Hutchinson, a fellow Republican, for taking steps to reopen businesses.
"Arkansans are a responsible and conscientious people," the legislators said. "When given the opportunity to return to work, we know they will take the necessary precautions to protect public health."
LATEST DEATHS
The state's latest coronavirus deaths were in Pulaski, Jefferson and Poinsett counties.
They brought the death toll to 18 in Pulaski County, 15 in Jefferson County and two in Poinsett County.
Among those who died most recently was Lorraine Hensley, a 91-year-old resident of The Lakes at Maumelle Health and Rehabilitation.
Hensley died at the home early Friday, according to a coroner's report.
Her daughter, Cindy Milazzo of Maumelle, said Hensley had lived at the home for about three months and tested positive for covid-19 about April 21.
She said her mother never showed symptoms of the virus. She had been under hospice care for 13 months and died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, though covid-19 was a contributing factor, Milazzo said.
The Maumelle nursing home has recorded positive covid-19 tests for a total of 36 residents, according to Health Department records.
"I do not know how any nursing home can keep it from spreading once coronavirus gets in," Milazzo said.
Nursing home and assisted-living facility residents account for a third of the state's deaths from the virus, with the number tracked in Health Department reports increasing from 19 on Wednesday to 24 on Friday.
The number of deaths listed at The Lakes at Maumelle increased from three to five.
Over that span, the department also reported one additional death from the virus at The Waters of White Hall, bringing the total there to six, and one at Walnut Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, bringing the total there to three.
Across the state, the number of nursing home or assisted-living residents who have tested positive, including those who have died, increased Friday by eight, to 252, from a day earlier.
The number of workers at the homes with confirmed infections increased by six, to 141.
RECOVERIES INCREASE
Nate Smith said Friday the state's count of all coronavirus cases now includes all the results from an outbreak that infected 860 inmates and 51 staff members at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County.
Although a state website listed just 816 cases in Lincoln County, Smith said information on the county of residence for some inmates could have been missing in reports from laboratories.
The website listed 173 cases in the state tally Friday as "missing county info."
"They're all in there in our cumulative numbers, they just may not be assigned to the right county," he said.
But Smith said the total does not yet include all of the results from an outbreak at the Federal Correctional Complex in Forrest City.
The number of inmates who have tested positive there increased by 34, to 135, but as of Friday afternoon, just five of the new results were included in the state's total.
That count is updated as information from lab reports is entered into a state database.
In addition to those five Forrest City cases, 61 new non-inmate cases were added to the state's total between Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon.
That followed increases of 60 non-inmate cases that were reported Monday afternoon, 74 on Tuesday, 81 on Wednesday and 60 on Thursday.
Among all covid-19 patients, 95 were hospitalized Friday and 23 were on ventilators. Those numbers hadn't changed from a day earlier.
Smith said that as of Friday afternoon, the number of people who were considered to be recovered -- generally meaning at least a week had passed since they fell ill and they hadn't had a fever in at least three days -- increased by 668, to 1,973, from a day earlier.
He said that reflected a decision to reclassify people as recovered, even if the department had been unable to reach them to confirm their lack of symptoms, if at least two weeks had passed since their positive test result.
"We were accumulating a lot of individuals who, we knew they had recovered, we just weren't able to get them on the phone," he said.
As a result of the reclassification, the total of the state's active cases -- representing those who have not yet recovered -- fell below the number of recovered cases for the first time, to 1,284.
That number "is probably a lot closer to the number of people who are potentially able to transfer covid-19 to others," Smith said.
Information for this article was contributed by Lisa Hammersly of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
A Section on 05/02/2020