COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is calling on industry leaders in the state to help determine best safety practices as certain sectors look to reopen in the coronavirus pandemic.
“We stay focused on reopening the business and be safe,” said Dino Palmieri, founder of Dino Palmieri Salons with 10 locations in the Cleveland and Akron areas.
He is one of the members of the personal services advisory group assembled by the state.
“If you make a mistake and you close again, it’s going to be very hard to reopen. You have one chance here and you’ve got to do it right.”
Meeting for the first time on Friday, group member Leia’ Love, owner of Leia’ Love Hair and Nail Salon in Fairlawn, said she thinks it’s a good group of people to alleviate some of the concerns stylists have.
“Their biggest, biggest concern is just making sure that they have access to the personal protective equipment and making sure that they have a good plan of action that can help,” Love said.
“Every salon owner is very proactive that I spoke to,”Palmieri said.
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The group is also looking to other states for lessons learned, while seeking input from, not only stylists, but others in the industry, like makeup artists and aestheticians.
“How do they move differently from a stylist and how can we make sure that they are protected as well,” Love said.
Northeast Ohio eateries like Red Steakhouse and Tavern of Little Italy are part of the state’s restaurant advisory group.
Brendan Kearney, of the Salerno Group, is not part of the council, but said he thinks the diversity of franchised and individually-owned businesses will be helpful.
“It’s a full circle conversation, you know. A when you have things where public health is a major concern, having the health department involved with the restaurants and making sure everyone’s on the same page with what’s expected and the different ways that we can accomplish what we’re trying to do is really important,” Kearney said.
In anticipation of standard safety measures, they’ve been taking extra steps at their restaurant Lago to protect employees and customers.
“We’ve actually sanitized the entire restaurant with a product called Purabond that kills 99.9 percent of germs on contact.”
Once the industry leaders decide on best practices, DeWine said the state can start determining reopening dates. But group members said it’s not just about the date.
“Our main purpose of this task force is making sure that we can get this and get it as right as possible,” Love said.
The governor also said groups for libraries, travel, tourism, sports, outdoor recreation, gyms, theaters, childcare, adult day care and other sectors are being assembled.
