DENVER – Colorado hair and nail salons, along with spas, tattoo and massage parlors were ordered Thursday to be closed through April 30 by Gov. Jared Polis as he expanded his public health order that shut down restaurants, bars and casinos statewide earlier this week.
Effective Thursday, those “non-essential personal services facilities,” as well as horse tracks and off-track betting facilities were added to the order closing bars, restaurants, theaters, gyms and casinos that was issued on March 16. The updated order extends all the closures through April 30.
The state considers “nonessential personal services” to include services and products not necessary to maintain one’s health or safety, or the sanitation and essential operation of a business or residence.
Coronavirus in Colorado: Latest COVID-19 updates across the state
Many salon workers had been wondering what to do about social distancing after Polis’ initial order this week – some fearing for their health safety and others worried about their paychecks and livelihoods as Colorado comes to a halt in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.
Failure to comply with the order will subject businesses to penalties of up to a $1,000 fine and a year of jail time.
“As a state, we are looking at all possible solutions to ensure we are protecting the health and safety of Coloradans and minimizing the duration of the crisis,” Polis said in a statement. “This is a coordinated effort with all state agencies and community partners to utilize every resource available during this difficult time to reduce the severity and duration of the crisis. Together, we will get through this.”
The orders are in place, according to the order, because “Colorado is experiencing a rapid increase in COVID-19 transmission that threatens the health of resident sand risks overwhelming the healthcare system in the state of Colorado.”
As of Thursday afternoon, there were 277 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Colorado, though officials believe there are thousands because testing is far behind where officials say it should be due to a lack of resources. Anyone who believes they may have symptoms of the virus should isolate themselves and consult with a medical provider.
The state and city of Denver both announced initial economic relief programs on Thursday afternoon.
