HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline in Western NY, plans call for the region to enter Phase Three of NYS reopening on June 16.
Under Phase Three, personal care businesses will get the green-light to again have customers. Those businesses include:
- Tattoo parlors
- Massage therapy
- Cosmetology
- Appearance enhancement practitioners
- Spas
- UV and non-UV tanning
- Waxing
- Skin piercing
- Nail salons
"I am ecstatic. I have been waiting for this for a long time," said Laura Zimberg, a licensed massage therapist who works with the Buffalo Bills and owns "Green Pastures Still Waters Massage Therapy and Spa" on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo.
It is especially good news for chronic pain patients who use medical massage for relief from injury, illness, surgery and disease. "They have been dealing with a great deal of pain, and thankfully, we will be reopening soon," added Lisa Plaster, a licensed massage therapist and owner of Advanced Massage Therapy in Hamburg.
For customers, it will be very different from the way things were prior to March 2020. New York State is requiring personal care businesses to follow a long list of health safety regulations - including having personal care workers tested for COVID-19 every 14 days.
Social distancing and mask-wearing will be mandatory along with several other requirements:
- Checking client temperatures. Those with temperatures over 100 degrees will not be served.
- People who are ill or have a cough will be turned away.
- Clients must now fill out forms related to COVID-19.
- Waiting rooms are closed.
- Numerous new cleaning and disinfecting rules will be in place.
- Customers will be encouraged to use 'touchless' payment systems.
- Only clients getting a personal care service will be allowed into a business.
- More handwashing stations.
- More time between appointments for cleaning
