Nail salons still waiting for a reopening date

(KION) - The state of California is moving closer to stage 3 of reopening the economy, but nail salons are still waiting to get a solid date to open their doors.

According to the state’s initial recovery plan roadmap, nail salons were categorized as “higher risk environments,” along with gyms, hair salons and movie theaters, and were included under Stage 3 of the plan.

In a news release issued Friday June 5, nail salons have been put in the same category of kid's sports and wedding gatherings.

Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom said community transmission in California began at a nail salon, but state public health officials said that could not be proven. Some nail salon owners say that comment could promote further discrimination against Asians during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Christie Nguyen, the co-founder of Nailing It For America, told the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles that nail shops are facing a delay that is putting a strain on their businesses and livelihood, despite being prepared to take safety precautions.

This comes as a number of lawsuits have been filed against the state to get people in the nail industry back to work. The lawsuits claim, in part, that lawmakers violated constitutional rights with the salon restrictions during the state's reopening process.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s spokesperson Jesse Melgar said in a statement, “The Newsom administration continues to engage with stakeholders in the nail salon industry to gather feedback and participate in constructive dialogue about reopening — with a focus on public health and safety. We remain committed to keeping the lines of communication open as we look to modify our Stay at Home order.”