Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued new guidance for barbershops and salons Monday, allowing them to open for appointments but only for certain essential workers as the coronavirus continues to spread.
The Office of Legal Counsel said it advised Hogan to allow appointment-only services for those who need to maintain “grooming standards” established by an employer.
Those who would use the services, the governor’s office said, would likely be military workers, first responders and “other essential workers required to maintain certain, well-documented grooming standards as part of their profession, or where ungroomed hair could pose a safety risk.”
The customer is required to provide the barber or salon employee with documentation about the employer’s grooming standards. The business then must keep a copy on file and also keep a telephone number on file in case someone tests positive for the coronavirus within 14 days of services.
Both the staff member and customer are also required to wear a mask or face covering, the guidance said, except when doing so would “make it impossible for services to be performed.”
After the service is completed, the employee must clean and disinfect the area to comply with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maryland Department of Health.