Gov. Newsom allows some salon services to move outdoors in California amid COVID-19

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new guidelines for hair salons and other beauty services in a Monday press conference on the coronavirus pandemic.

While hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, massage parlors and other beauty services have to close indoor operations in counties on the state's watch list, they're now allowed to move those services outdoors.

The guidelines for outdoor hair salons and barbershops include:

• Employees and customers have to wear masks the entire time


• Create an outdoor reception area where guests can check in


• No handshakes, hugs or similar greetings

Nail salons can offer manicures and pedicures outside. Other services like massages, body waxing and threading are also now allowed outdoors.

Those personal care services have to follow the above guidelines, as well as:

• Workers should wear a face shield with a face covering when doing services on the face/neck that don't allow clients to wear a mask


• Disposable gloves should be worn during the entire service


• Use single-use applicators instead of reusable ones (where necessary)


• Ask manicure clients to use hand sanitizer first


• Allow only one manicurist to work at a single station


• Offer color palettes instead of nail polish color displays

The governor said such accommodations have been in the works for some time, but it was more complex than other outdoor business operations because of the use of chemicals in some beauty services.

The Professional Beauty Federation of California warns that many of its 53,000 members will struggle to find the appropriate space or receive approval from their landlord.

The president of Advanced Beauty College agrees, describing the situation as a rollercoaster.

"It's definitely a step forward after taking a step back last week, but certainly it's still very difficult," Tam Nguyen said. "Not all salons have an outdoor patio or an outdoor area or have a parking lot that is conducive to doing things in a healthy, (safe) or feasible manner."

Newsom announced new guidelines on July 17 to determine which school districts are allowed to reopen classrooms in the fall.

Gov. Newsom announced some businesses in the personal care industry, such as hair salons and nail salons, will be allowed to operate in some capacity outdoors.

In order to resume in-person class instruction, a county must have been off the state's COVID-19 watch list for 14 consecutive days.

RELATED: Gov. Gavin Newsom announces which California school districts can reopen in the fall

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new guidelines Friday to determine which school districts are allowed to reopen classrooms in the fall.

Districts in counties on the watch list will only be able to do distance learning. As of Monday, 33 of California's 58 counties are on the COVID-19 watch list. That represents more than 80% of the state's population.

Until now, decisions on how and when to reopen have largely been left up to individual school districts.

The state's former guidelines for reopening schools recommended mask wearing for students, but now face coverings will be required for students in third grade and older. Face coverings are recommended but not required for kindergarten, first graders and second graders.

Masks will be required for all teachers and staff. Staff will also be required to get tested for the virus regularly.

RELATED: Here's why LA County is seeing an increase in COVID cases, but a decline in deaths

The governor also announced new rules on when schools will be forced to close back down:

• A classroom cohort has to go home when there is a confirmed COVID-19 case.


• The school also has to close when multiple cohorts have cases or if 5% of all teachers and students test positive.


• An entire school district must close when 25% of its schools close within a 14-day period.

"Schools must provide meaningful instruction during this pandemic whether they're physically open or not," Newsom said. "We all prefer in-classroom instruction for all the obvious reasons, but only if it can be done safely."

Even for schools that only do online, distance learning, Newsom said the state will be making sure there are "rigorous" standards.

"If we're going to have distance learning, we will make sure that it's real, that we address the divide and it is quality," the governor said. "Learning is non-negotiable."

RELATED: California reopening: Here's what's open or closed in LA, OC, IE, VC

Newsom said the new guidelines apply to K-12 education in the state. He added he is working with California's universities to agree on health and safety guidelines that should be released in the coming weeks.

California reported 9,986 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours. As of Friday, COVID-19 patients occupy about 16% of the state's ICU capacity.

California is in the middle of a summer surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. The problem has gotten so bad, Gov. Newsom recently announced mandatory rollbacks of the state's reopening plan.

Bars, both indoor and outdoor, have been ordered to close down statewide. Restaurants are being told to cease indoor operations. Outdoor dining and takeout are still allowed.

All counties also have to close indoor operations at wineries, tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums and cardrooms.

In counties on the state's watch list, even more businesses are being required to close their doors. That includes gyms, hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, other personal care services, indoor malls, offices in non-critical sectors, and places of worship.

KGO-TV contributed to this report.