Governor Gavin Newsom released COVID-19 Industry Guidance for Expanded Personal Services such as esthetician, skin care, cosmetology, electrology, nail salon, body art, tattoo parlor and piercing services.
On June 12th, Governor Gavin Newsom released COVID-19 Industry Guidance for Expanded Personal Services such as esthetician, skin care, cosmetology, electrology, nail salon, body art, tattoo parlor and piercing services. The Governor’s purpose is to provide guidance on how businesses can resume operations while supporting a safe, clean environment for workers. Variance counties such as Monterey County can open these sectors with approval by the County Health Officer after review of local COVID-19 indicators.
Monterey County has not exceeded thresholds for maintaining hospital surge capacity and has not exceeded thresholds for maintaining the ability to protect those at high risk for COVID-19. Maintaining surge capacity and protecting vulnerable populations have been and continue to be top public health priorities during this pandemic.
Most of the remaining epidemiology and general surveillance indicators as well as indicators for the ability to test residents, isolate people with COVID-19, trace their close contacts, and support people in quarantine suggest that current stay at home orders, physical distancing, use of face coverings and frequent hand washing continue to slow the spread of the virus in Monterey County.
Pandemics are typically characterized by a progressive increase in the prevalence of disease over time. Due to increasing prevalence, as well as increasing number of people being tested, the Health Department anticipates that the incidence of COVID-19, as tracked by the 14-day cumulative incidence rate and the 7-day test positivity rate, may rise from time to time.
Based on review of local indicators, the Monterey County Health Officer approves implementation of the new guidance and opening of the business sectors on June 19th, as recommended by the California Governor.
As stay-at-home orders are modified, it is essential that businesses take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of workers and customers, which includes developing and implementing a COVID-19 prevention plan. Key business practices include physical distancing to the maximum extent possible, use of face coverings by employees and patrons, frequent handwashing and regular cleaning and disinfecting, and training employees on these and other elements of their COVID-19 prevention plan. In addition, businesses must have in place appropriate processes to identify new cases of illness in workplaces and, when they are identified, to intervene quickly and work with Monterey County Public Health to halt the spread of the virus. Current County Health Officer orders require that businesses planning to resume operations June 19th must review, understand and implement sector specific guidance found at the California website, https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap-counties/. Tattoo and permanent make-up business must also follow Monterey County Environmental Health guidance found at the website, www.mtyhd.org/COVID-19-EHB
“Staying at home is still the most effective way of reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19. As more businesses reopen, it is critical that Monterey County residents and visitors continue to practice healthy behaviors that slow the spread of COVID-19, such as maintaining 6 feet of distance from others, using face coverings, washing hands frequently, and cleaning and sterilizing commonly touched surfaces,” says Dr. Edward Moreno, Monterey County Health Officer.
Resources
California State Guidance for Expanded Personal Care Services
Monterey County Environmental Health Guidance for tattoo and permanent make-up businesses