Waikato businesses want doors open
More Waikato business owners are hoping alert level two will allow them to reopen their doors.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will give guidelines for level two today although the Government won’t announce their decision until Monday.
Alesha Smith, the owner of Vital Balance body and beauty therapy clinic in Hamilton is keen to see her clients come back through the door. She has been closed since late March.
While they were allowed to continue operating under the initial alert level two, Smith was unsure if the new guidelines would allow them to. If not, they’d have to wait until level one.
But if they are, Smith understands there could be a number of preventive measures they will have to take, like clients waiting in their car, a hand sanitiser station at the front door and extensive cleaning.
‘‘My big thing is it ends up being the person’s choice, everyone knows what we are up against, everyone is reading information, and we are in the same boat.
‘‘If a client chooses to come in and get their treatment done because it might help with their mental health, make them feel better it is their choice.’’
Cambridge’s The Sample Room hairdressing salon owner Trudi Thiara Mota is another who would like to start booking in clients.
‘‘I’m really hoping we can open our doors and see all our gorgeous clients with their long regrowth, home colours and cuts and start fixing them. We have done such an amazing job collaboratively so far, so I’m well onboard to see this through and do all we can to carry on having stamped this virus out.’’
Thiara Mota is confident her salon is capable of working to hygiene regulations.
‘‘Sterilisation has always been a huge part of what we do, and we will continue to be on an even greater level’’.
Jane Harris admits its tough for her Hamilton massage business at the moment due to the unknown, but she hopes that today will give them an indication if they can gear up to work or not.
‘‘We are practising at home running through some different scenarios and seeing what could go wrong as well,’’ Harris said.
‘‘It is a lot of thought and it will take a lot of time.
‘‘We have changed the seating, and we will use medical grade disinfectant to wipe everything down.
‘‘People are craving touch and you can’t touch someone outside your bubble. But I do think we can do this in massage fine, it’s whether the Government is going to allow this to happen. I have been a business owner for 20 years we know exactly what we are doing,’’ Harris said.