Hamilton County will allow barber shops and salons to reopen next Wednesday as COVID-19 prevention restrictions are incrementally lifted across the region.
County Mayor Jim Coppinger sent a release late Wednesday saying that he will follow the governor's decision to allow haircuts, manicures and other personal services which had previously been barred to prevent the spread of the virus. Last week, Lee told media that those services would be among the last to reopen as it is "virtually impossible" to maintain social distance during them.
Coppinger has stayed in step with Lee, whose previous executive orders allowed restaurants to reopen for dine-in services on Monday with retail stores permitted to reopen starting Wednesday, throughout the process of applying and ultimately lifting COVID-19 related restrictions.
At a news conference last week, Coppinger said that the county, like the state, will not be enforcing these measures, but that it will monitor testing data as businesses reopen.
"If we start to see a significant reversal, we will reconsider our decision," Coppinger said. "I realize that the COVID-19 has impacted not only our economy but our individuals as well."
Contact Sarah Grace Taylor at staylor@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416. Follow her on Twitter @_sarahgtaylor.