BOSTON (WHDH) - Like many people in Massachusetts, Cheryl Roddy couldn’t wait to get back into the hair salon, so she booked one of the first appointments at Acote Salon on Newbury Street in Boston the day the facility was cleared to reopen.
“I feel very fortunate to come back today,” she said.
Hair salons and barbershops had been closed for months due to the coronavirus pandemic but got the green light to reopen under strict restrictions beginning Monday.
To help curb the spread of the virus, people working or coming into the salon must wear a mask.
Acote Salon has extra masks at the check-in desk for those who don’t have one. They also are supplying gloves and hand sanitizer.
Clients are spaced 6 feet apart with an empty chair in between them.
Manager Danielle Marcus says they’re booked solid for their first week back in business and will do whatever makes the customer feel safe.
“People are more than welcome to go outside and even if clients are more comfortable having their hair color put on outside, we’re happy to do that,” she said.
The state is asking that all salons keep information about all of their visitors just in case they need it for contact tracing.
Pet groomers, car washes, beaches, parks, drive-in theaters, and some athletic fields were also permitted to reopen Monday. Retail stores, along with marijuana shops, can offer curbside pickup.
Office spaces can open at 25 percent capacity, except in Boston, where offices will remain shut down until June 1.
Gov. Charlie Baker’s phased reopening plan calls for more places to reopen in three weeks, depending on if coronavirus numbers continue to go down.
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