Barbershops, salons reopen June 7, but still no manicures, facials

MANILA, Philipppines — No, unkempt hair will no longer be part of the new normal after barbershops and salons are allowed to reopen, at reduced capacity, beginning June 7.

But presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the prohibitions on manicures, pedicures, facials and eyebrow shaping would remain until after the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infection Diseases (IATF-EID) reassesses the situation in the coming weeks.

“Do not get overexcited because the services of barbershops and salons will only be limited to haircuts,” Roque said at a Palace briefing on Saturday.

These businesses will also be required to provide disinfection mats at entrances, place visible floor markers and cover furniture with plastic in addition to the usual quarantine protocols—face masks, physical distance and constant sanitization of work stations and tools after every customer.

CUTTING THE BARBERS SOME SLACK A barber installs a plastic shield in his shop on Timog Avenue, Quezon City, for clients needing protection against the coronavirus. Starting June 7, barbershops and salons may resume operations in areas under general community quarantine, but services will still be limited to haircuts. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Gradual increase

Under the IATF’s latest resolution, barbershops and salons in general community quarantine areas will be allowed to operate at 30-percent operational capacity beginning June 7.

They can increase their capacity to 50 percent after June 21.

For areas under modified general community quarantine—the lowest quarantine category—barbershops and salons will be allowed to open at 50 percent capacity and may be increased to 100 percent capacity by June 30.

Under the IATF-EID’s latest quarantine classification scheme, Cebu City was placed under general community quarantine starting June 1 along with Zamboanga City and Davao City and the regions of Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Central Visayas.

The rest of the country will be under modified general community quarantine, including Dagupan City in Pangasinan.