Hope is still alive: Barbershops and salons to reopen

Juan Carlos Ramirez
Phoenix, Arizona
4 p.m. Monday, May 4


Hope is still alive: Barbershops and salons to reopen

The nightmare of having non-existing fades or terrible DIY haircuts might be over sooner than later for the people of Arizona.

Gov. Doug Ducey has given the green light for barber shops and hair salons to reopen on May 8. Restaurant dine-in services and coffee shops will reopen by May 12.

This is a step to accelerate the reopening of Arizona’s economy, allowing residents of to go out and make “non-essential” purchases.

All of these businesses can reopen only if they follow the distancing rules, limit occupancy, reinforce sanitization protocol and provide cloth masks to employees.

The governor’s original plan was to extend the stay-at-home order and closure of businesses until May 15, but recent developments had given him the confidence to accelerate the reopening of the economy.

Ducey pointed to four factors that helped him make his decision: decline in COVID-19 positive percentages, decline in COVID-19 or influenza like illnesses, sufficient hospital capacity and an expansion in testing.

However, the last two factors indicate he is anticipating an increase in positive cases. The reopening of Arizona’s economy is inevitable, and he is doing everything in preparation for the spikes.

I can understand where he is coming from, but it cannot go unsaid that he is failing the residents of Arizona who are most vulnerable to this disease.

To me, a man has fundamental characteristics that should be held sacred and dear —

one of them being a clean fade and clean shave. I am a very loyal customer, and I do not allow myself to be serviced by just any barber.

So I will gladly await my heartfelt, safe reunion with my barbers Jose, Sammy and Ruben. And, until then, I will wait with my sides being a little too long and my hair in dire need of a line up.


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