Salon owners told to await MOH guidelines to reopen

• Beauty industry representatives meet with Health Minister, officials to discuss issues faced
• Sector, which employs around 200,000, among worst-hit by coronavirus outbreak
• DGHS says guidelines will be issued for salons to arrange structures, facilities in keeping with health requirements
• Certificate of conformity to MOH guidelines will be required before reopening

Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe yesterday requested beauty and hair salon owners not to rush into reopening, but to await Health Ministry guidelines for the sector.

The DHGS said that once these guidelines are issued, persons who run hair and beauty salons should collect them from the respective Medical Officer of Health (MOH), and then arrange the salon structure and facilities to provide their services in line with the instructions given, Dr. Jasinghe said in a press release.

Once the MOH is informed that the facilities and structures have been arranged, the Public Health Inspector (PHI) in charge of the area will inspect these arrangements, comparing with the checklist, and provide his recommendation to the Medical Officer of Health.

Considering this recommendation, the certificate of conformity and approval to reopen the salon will be issued by the MOH.

Dr. Jasinghe emphasised that no beauty salon or hair salon in the country should be opened without this certificate.

Several prominent representatives of the beauty industry, including Nayana Karunaratne and Ramani Fernando, were among those who met with Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Dr. Jasinghe this week to request relief for the sector, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus.

They informed the Minister that the sector employs around 200,000 workers, and they are keen to commence work after the necessary guidelines have been issued.