Sacramento County agrees to allow nail salons to reopen for indoor business

A day after California health officials OK’d nail salons to reopen for indoor service, Sacramento County followed suit, saying it has amended its COVID-19 ordinance as of 3 p.m. Wednesday to allow hundreds of local businesses to relaunch inside service.

The county said in a news release it is allowing nail salons and physician-ordered electrolysis “to resume indoor operations with modifications while following state of California guidance.” That includes requiring face coverings, social distancing protocols and sanitization.

Sacramento County has hired a group of “business navigators” to visit small businesses, such as nail salons, to help guide them in reopening safely, officials said.

The county’s Wednesday rules change follows state health chief Dr. Mark Ghaly’s Tuesday announcement during a video conference that all counties can allow indoor activity at nail salons, if they choose to.

Nail salons had been allowed to serve customers outdoors since late July, but the situation drew complaints from salon owners who said it was untenable.

Part of the frustration stems from the fact that the state allowed nail salons to reopen in mid-June after an earlier shutdown, but then backtracked and forced them to close again as infections and hospitalizations spiked this summer.