Personal services, such as salons, are getting ready for a potential open May 19th. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Josh Ryan

Professional Preparation

Personal services prepare for second phase of Re-Open Sask. plan

May 6, 2020 | 4:22 PM

This week marked the beginning of Saskatchewan’s reopening process, but many business owners have their sights set on May 19.

Phase two involves a broader partial open, which includes retail stores and select personal services. In the latter case, many of the procedures at these businesses will still be prohibited in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Vanessa Proznick-Fransoo, owner of Lifeways Integrative Wellness, said Botox, laser hair removal and other cosmetic services can’t be open until the third phase date is announced, while physical therapy related items are a go.

“Massage therapy, acupuncture, healing touch therapy, all of those can open up on the 19th,” she said.

All of those services are contingent on the arrival of personal protective equipment (PPE). Proznick-Fransoo said she can’t open her doors until the necessary items (gloves, masks, gowns, etc.) have arrived. They remain important for the possibility of cosmetic services coming back at a later date.

“We are all up close with those services, so even when stage three opens, PPE will be really important,” she said.

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Other businesses have similar constraints. Ursula Jacobson, owner of The Hair Loft, said she has PPE on the way, but won’t be able to provide her customers with every service they had prior to the pandemic.

“We won’t be doing any more sun tanning, we sold the sun tan bed,” Jacobson said. “So that’s done.”

Hair salons and barbershops have spent much of the past two weeks restructuring their workspaces so that even with the additional equipment and cleaning, they can keep social distance parameters.

“Got the floor organized so we’ll have enough room for social distancing,” Jacobson said. “And we’re figuring it out as we go along.

Changes to workspace layouts and routines also means challenges with staffing and scheduling. Each business will have to limit the number of people in the building.

“We can only have so many people in the salon at one time and there’s only so many chairs we can have working at one time,” Jacobson said. “So, we’re going to have to stagger the staff a little more.”

Enforcing those rules is key as residents rush to get in front of the line. Jacobson said she’s fielding significant numbers of calls and has even had people attempt to come in the store while she’s been cleaning.

“We’re taking appointments and we’re getting full,” she said. “So it’s going to be different, but it’s going to be busy.”

And getting to interact with customers, even in a restricted capacity, is outweighing the trepidations of going back to work with outbreaks in regions like Lloydminster.

“That means a lot to us,” Proznick-Fransoo said. “Missing that was huge.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports