Newsom says Yuba, Sutter counties made ‘big mistake’ reopening hair salons amid pandemic

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Yuba and Sutter counties are making a “big mistake” by allowing in-person service businesses like hair salons to reopen this week.

On Monday, the two counties allowed a range of businesses — including restaurants, hair salons, tattoo parlors, gyms and shopping malls — to reopen under a new health directive issued by bi-county public health officer Dr. Phuong Luu last week, in defiance of Newsom’s ongoing statewide stay-at-home order.

In one of his most pointed statements yet about the north state counties, Newsom said during his Tuesday daily briefing that the broad reopening of businesses in Yuba and Sutter counties could threaten the slowed rates of infections and deaths caused by the coronavirus.

“They’re putting the public at risk, they’re putting our progress at risk,” Newsom said. “They put those businesses at risk, not only the health of those communities at risk.”

Newsom’s comment came a day after Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, a Newsom critic, said it’s about time Newsom listens to what north state counties “have been saying for the past few weeks.”

“In the north state, our communities have met the scientific criteria for re-opening and we’re not going to wait for San Francisco and Los Angeles in order to reopen,” Gallagher said. “If this is truly about science and not politics, the governor shouldn’t push back against local public health officers who are moving forward with their phased re-opening plans.”

Newsom is beginning his own, slower-paced reopening of the economy this week. He announced Monday that many retail businesses would be allowed to open their doors by Friday for curbside pickup, such as florists, book stores and clothing outlets, as part of Phase 2 of a four-step plan to lift statewide stay-at-home restrictions.

He said on Monday that some counties with lower virus rates would be allowed to reopen lower-risk businesses more quickly than harder hit counties, and suggested that could include opening restaurants for dining as part of Phase 2. Yuba and Sutter counties did that on Monday.

But Newsom said Tuesday that the state is not ready for Phase 3 of reopenings, when “higher risk environments” where people would be in close contact with each other could reopen. Those establishments include hair and nail salons, movie theaters and churches.

Newsom for the second day in a row pointed out that the state has mechanisms to stop what it considers unsafe and illegal openings, noting that the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has shut down 82 businesses statewide during the pandemic under threat of license revocation.

He has said, however, that it is not his intention to be heavy handed, urging counties instead to work collaboratively with the state.

“The overwhelming majority of Californians are playing by the rules, doing the right thing,” Newsom said Tuesday. Responding to Yuba and Sutter counties, he said “I would just encourage them to do the right thing.”

The governor did not say Tuesday whether he would invoke state authority to shut those businesses in Yuba and Sutter counties.

But the state regulatory agency overseeing salons and barbers issued a stern memo Friday to licensees saying it expects them to obey the governor’s orders.

“If businesses continue to put public health and safety at risk by not following the state and local shelter in place orders, and if circumstances warrant it, the board may pursue disciplinary action against their license,” the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology wrote in the May 1 memo.

“This will not be taken lightly,” the memo stated. “Again, the board fully supports the governor’s stay at home order and we expect our licensees to comply. “

About 55,000 Californians have been infected with the coronavirus, according to state health officials, and more than 2,200 Californians have been killed by COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Los Angeles and the Bay Area have been hit hardest by the virus, but major outbreaks have occurred in rural areas and skilled nursing facilities.

This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 3:26 PM.