Personal care businesses face shutdown as COVID-19 cases spread

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in a press conference Friday that all non-essential workers must stay at home.

News 12 Staff

Mar 20, 2020, 6:50 PM

Updated 1,514 days ago

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in a press conference Friday that all non-essential workers must stay at home.
The order is another attempt to slow down the spread of the coronavirus as numbers continue to skyrocket.
News 12 is told essential businesses that are allowed to remain open include grocery stores, doctors' offices and hardware stores.
Wise hardware store owner Bill Weinblatt insists he’ll continue to provide a service if he’s able.
“As long as they say I'm essential I will continue to try to serve my customers,” he says.
Despite his luck, Weinblatt also mentioned the empathy he feels for his friends.
“…It's the scariest thing, I feel I have so many friends in businesses,” he shared.They're letting their people go. They're doing the best they can, but it's sad.”
But businesses like malls, barbershops, salons and other personal care services must close by 8 p.m. on March 21.
Local salon workers say the announcement is devastating to their livelihood.
"If we don't work, we don't get paid,” says hairstylist Cavell James. “They're looking out for our safety but at the same time at the end of the day we don't know how we're going to pay our bills.”
Award-winning stylist Victoria Roldan’s shop, New York hair salon, was also forced to close.
Roldan expressed her worries and claims she wouldn’t have closed if it weren’t for the executive order, saying in part, “I wouldn't close my salon if I didn't have to because I'm not afraid of it.”
It is not clear when the executive order will be lifted.
CORONAVIRUS TRACKER - Cases in the tri-state area
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