Hairstylists are essential, says SC lawmaker who wants them working during coronavirus
One South Carolina lawmaker considers hairstylists and barbers essential workers and wants them back in business during the coronavirus pandemic.
State Rep. Stewart Jones, R-Laurens, plans to hold a news conference Monday at the State House petitioning Gov. Henry McMaster to allow salons and barber shops to reopen, according to a news release.
Jones said he is bringing more than 50,000 petitions with him to the governor’s office.
He’ll also be joined by cosmetologists from across the state at the 11 a.m. news conference, Jones said in the release.
The purpose of the press conference is to raise awareness of the plight of people whose businesses have been deemed nonessential in the latest executive order from McMaster, which has temporarily ordered their doors closed in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“Throughout this crisis, we have seen government halt and stifle labor which it deemed ‘nonessential,’ ” Jones said in the release. “Hair stylists, physical trainers, cooks, waitresses, event planners, and many others — all livelihoods are absolutely essential.”
Hair-cutting businesses are considered close contact services and were ordered to remain closed in McMaster’s most recent executive order, which allowed for some stores to reopen in spite of the ongoing pandemic.
Businesses given approval to reopen include department stores, sporting goods stores, book, music, shoe and craft stores, jewelry stores, floral shops and other luggage and leather goods stores, according to the governor’s order.
Jones is not the only one who takes issue with the nonessential designation for salons and barber shops.
On April 15, Amy Howie, owner of Papillon Salon in North Myrtle Beach, started a petition saying “We are going to service one client in the salon at a time while wearing a mask and gloves. How is that riskier than a hundred people in Walmart where the majority aren’t even wearing masks and gloves?” according to Jones’ release.
Jones said her petition went viral and she collected about 500,000 signatures in 10 days.
“Hairstylists and barbers provide ‘essential’ services to maintain the beauty image of our community,” Howie said in her petition. “Even politicians get haircuts during this shutdown!”
In his release, Jones referenced another person who just opened a salon in March.
“I’m worried about the possibility that I could lose everything I have poured my life into,” said Sari Powell, owner of Studio Meraki in Ballentine. “Cosmetologists have to follow strict sanitation regulations, and I am prepared with additional guidelines to keep my stylists and clients safe.”
This is not the first time Jones has called for businesses in South Carolina to reopen.
He, along with fellow State Reps. Jonathon Hill and Josiah Magnuson, sent a letter to McMaster earlier in April saying they “fear the actions taken by so many elected officials today will someday be understood as a tragic mistake,” the Greenville News reported.
But Jones is not in favor of all places being open.
On April 9, Jones joined State Sen. Richard Cash and fellow Rep. John McCravy in a virtual news conference saying the governor should order clinics that perform abortions across the state to close because of the coronavirus.
“It is unacceptable, especially during this time when the governor has closed businesses and sent people home, families aren’t working right now, that abortions continue in South Carolina,” Jones said in that news conference.
On Sunday, 237 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in South Carolina, bringing the statewide total to 5,490 confirmed COVID-19 cases in all 46 counties, according to DHEC.
DHEC also announced that eight more people died after testing positive for the coronavirus, raising that total to 174. State health officials described 146 of the people as elderly, 28 patients were middle-aged.
“There is currently no cure or vaccine,” the South Carolina Emergency Management Division said.
There have been 45,271 combined negative tests at DHEC’s public health laboratory and at private labs.
As of Monday morning, 2,982,933 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 207,270 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads the world with 965,933 people who have been diagnosed with the novel virus. In the U.S. 54,877 deaths have been reported, including 17,280 in New York City, according to Johns Hopkins.
This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 8:49 AM.
