B.C. to reopen hair salons, barber shops in mid-May under COVID-19 pandemic

The B.C. government has announced how it expects to start re-opening hair salons, barber shops and personal services under the COVID-19 pandemic.

The timeline for re-opening is from mid-May onwards.

In a report Wednesday, the province said the businesses will need to implement measures to maintain physical distancing and reduce or eliminate waiting areas.

Customers and staff must use non-medical masks and barriers such as plexiglass shields to prevent disease transmission.

The business must also post signs about how to access services if sick, and ask customers about possible symptoms before providing a service.

As outlined in B.C.’s latest modelling numbers on Monday, the risk of transmission is still a concern, and residents still need to reduce close contact between people and the number of contacts in the same setting at one time.

Health officials said the daily number of new cases should hit zero by mid-June if social interactions stay at around 35-40 per cent of normal.

1:54 Industries consulting members and government on reopening strategies

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly reported that spas would reopen alongside hair salons.