Coronavirus: Tamil Nadu has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country
Tamil Nadu has allowed beauty parlours and salons to reopen across the state from tomorrow, days after it allowed only salons for men in rural areas to reopen as Lockdown4 kicked in.
All these businesses, however, cannot reopen in Chennai and containment zones. Tamil Nadu has the second-highest cases of coronavirus in India.
However, no air-conditioning is allowed in these shops. These can be open from 7 am to 7 pm.
The state government said salons and beauty parlours must ensure everyone wears masks, social distancing is maintained and their shops are disinfected at least five times a day.
No worker or customer who shows symptoms of COVID-19 cannot be allowed inside. Also, no resident living in containment zones will be allowed to work in the salons.
"After sympathetically considering demands from barbers, I've given orders for reopening salons from 19 May in areas other than Greater Chennai Police limits, other Corporations, Municipalities and Town Panchayats," Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami had said in a statement when the order to reopen salons for men in rural areas was given.
While some are willing to travel the extra distance for a hair cut, others seemed to find the guidelines difficult to impose. Chitra Ragulan, a resident of Chennai, asked, "How can a barber maintain social distancing? By using garden shears?"
The nationwide coronavirus lockdown has been extended a third time till May 31. PM Modi had announced the lockdown in March to curb the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.