All New York Barbershops, Hair Salons, Tattoo Parlors Must Close

All barbershops, hair salons, tattoo or piercing parlors, nail salons, hair removal services and related personal care services are being forced to close.

On Friday, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced new density reduction restrictions to help slow the spread of COVID-19, as part of their uniform, multi-state approach to combating the virus.

All barbershops, hair salons, tattoo or piercing parlors, nail salons, hair removal services, and related personal care services will be closed to members of the public effective Saturday at 8 p.m.

"We know how the novel coronavirus spreads, and we are making data-driven decisions as the situation evolves to continue to reduce density and slow the spread of the virus," Cuomo said. "We remain in constant communication with our neighboring states to ensure we are establishing a set of uniform rules and regulations for the entire region. These temporary closures are not going to be easy, but they are necessary to protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers and all Americans."

The governor's said these services cannot be provided while maintaining social distance.

"The fact remains that social distancing is paramount to our broader strategy to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the most vulnerable members of our community. While we understand the challenge these restrictions pose to our region's small businesses, we are actively working with the federal government to ensure that financial relief is made available to our business owners and workforce as quickly as possible," Murphy said.

The continued goal is to "flatten the curve."  Cuomo noted he took drastic action on Monday, by closing all restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theaters in the state, but noted on Tuesday more "dramatic steps" will likely need to be taken.

Restaurants are allowed to offer take-out and delivery services. Bars can also stay open for take-out or delivery.

More "dramatic steps" were announced late Wednesday, all indoor portions of malls, bowling alleys and amusement parks must close by 8 p.m. on Thursday. There's no word on how long the new restrictions will be in place. However, stores with their own outdoor entrance can stay open.