Another segment of the Arkansas economy will be heavily impacted by coronavirus soon.

 

All barber shops, beauty shops, nail salons and tattoo shops have been ordered to cease operations. According to Arkansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Nate Smith, the move is designed to limit the transmission of the COVID-19 virus in these settings, which require close physical contact.

 

These closures mirror a similar order made March 19, in which state officials directed restaurants statewide to cease sit-down services. However, restaurants are allowed to continue providing to-go services, curbside services, and deliveries.

 

It is unclear if there will be any concessions made for businesses in this service industry. State officials did not specify how long the closures would last.

 

Having mass closures will undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on these Arkansas businesses.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the 2018 median pay for barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists was $24,830 per year or $11.94 per hour. The median salary for tattoo artists, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, was $65,390 in 2018.

 

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