Members of personal care industry question lockdown structure after restrictions ease for other sectors

Members of the personal care industry in Thunder Bay, Ont. are raising concerns about the effectiveness and the fairness of the current COVID-19 lockdown framework.

The district moved into the grey-lockdown zone of the provincial reopening framework as of March 1, 2021, which meant businesses in the personal care industry, such as salons, tattoo parlours, and spas, were forced to shutter until further notice.

"When the announcement of the latest lockdown was aired — which basically left everything open other than the personal service sector, being hair salons, gyms, restaurant dining, and tattoo artists — we were dumbfounded," explained Tony Muia, owner of Serenity Salon and Wellness, in an interview with CBC News.

Muia said the latest lockdown did not come as a surprise to him as COVID-19 numbers in the district continue to rise, however he said the concerns with the latest lockdown stem from changes made to the framework as of February 2021.

Under the new changes to the grey-lockdown zone, retail businesses and malls are now allowed to remain open under strict capacity restrictions.

Muia said the change to restrictions mixed with rising case numbers has members of the industry wondering why either a hard lockdown hasn't been implemented, or why their businesses have not been given the same consideration as the retail sector.

"They keep saying that the sector is a high-risk sector, but meanwhile all we want is to be able to be open at the same capacity as anybody else. So if you're saying we can open at five per cent, we're good with that. We'll open at five per cent but it's five per cent across the board," he said.

Since Dec. 26, 2020, businesses in the personal care sector in the Thunder Bay district have been permitted to open for a total of about 13 days as the health unit catchment area weaves in and out of framework zones.

Muia said the impacts of the closures and the short notice of zone changes are having immeasurable impacts on the industry and its people when it comes to the future of their business and their mental health.

Frustrations felt across the province

Those same frustrations are being felt over 300 kilometres away from Thunder Bay, where businesses owners on the outskirts of the district catchment area are struggling to keep their businesses alive.

In Marathon, Ont., few cases of COVID-19 have been reported since the lockdown began, but the same framework applies since the township falls in the district of Thunder Bay.

For Marathon resident Amanda Gillard, owner of Beautiful You Esthetics, the reality of the lockdown situation has been frustrating, especially as her business faces possible closure.

"I'm fighting this. Let us get back to work. It's safer to come to our place than it is to go to Wal-Mart, to Costco, to any box stores, any malls anywhere," said Gillard in an interview with CBC News.

The Ontario Professional Hairstylist Association (OPHA) has been echoing the concerns of local professionals in the personal care industry for months, and has called on the province to review the curriculum of its specific trade.

"I really feel that the term 'essential' has become very blurred. I think it's more about safe and not safe. We're 143 trades in Ontario, we're the third largest trade and we're the only trade that are not working when we are in lockdown, being in the personal service section. All the other trades work with capacities and restrictions," said Tanya Hill, vice president of OPHA.

Hill added that because hair styling is one of 23 compulsory trades in Ontario, and that their curriculum is approved by the province, they're well equipped to be open during the pandemic and through lockdowns.

She said OPHA has been looking to have discussions with the government to review these qualifications, adding that there's more at stake in the long term if personal care industry restrictions are not reconsidered.

"There is an investment on the salon owner, or the mentor or the sponsor to bring on an apprentice till they get their clientele built up and their skill set improved and they do their examinations. How can we afford to do that? So there's also further issues that we want to discuss with them on sustainability," explained Hill. 

Health officials respond

Thunder Bay's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janet DeMille responded to the concerns of local personal care industry professionals in an interview on CBC's Superior Morning, and said she recognizes the hardships incurred by the lockdown for some businesses.

She said, however, it's not always about the businesses themselves and their restrictions, adding that there's never a perfect fit with these issues.

"It's about the overall pushing people to really be compliant with all the regulations. What puts businesses at risk is not necessarily what they're doing or what they're not doing, it's what people coming into those facilities are doing or not doing," said DeMille.

In an email response to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said since the start of a pandemic the government has been guided by a team of "world class" public health care experts who have advised when and if restrictions need to be implemented. 

"We know there are several risk factors that help drive the transmission of COVID-19, including having close contact with others. As such, our medical experts have advised that barbershops and hair salons present several unique issues for employees and patrons," says an emailed statement from the Ministry of Health.

The ministry added that they and the medical officers of health in the province will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation to advise if and when public health measures need to be adjusted.