The lifting of restrictions on beauty services will not be immediate. After today’s talks with health ministers, the industry has not been able to reach any compromises. Meanwhile, the Association of Beauty and Beauticians warns – services are going underground, and then the risk is even greater.
Representatives of beauty and cosmetology associations today proposed to the Minister of Health to replace the total ban on services, as it is now, with stricter epidemiological safety requirements. The key to letting it work again.
“I didn’t even want to be heard. The Minister was categorical in her position that she does not see an opportunity to reconsider working in the beauty industry, ”says Sabīne Ulberte, President of the Latvian Association of Beauty Specialists.
The Ministry of Health (MoE) has promised to review the ban only if the number of Covid-19 cases in the country decreases for two weeks in a row. And even then, beauty and cosmetology services will not be allowed all at once, but gradually, depending on who is at lower risk of Covid-19 transmission.
“Perhaps these could be manicure and pedicure services, epilation – which are not related to facial procedures,” says Jana Feldmane, Head of the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health.
As most of the masters of beauty and cosmetology are self-employed, patent payers, they are left without any income. There is no certainty that downtime benefits will be granted, and even if there are, they will have to wait sometime in December to receive them.
“People have to eat today, and today they have to pay rent and bills,” says Sabine Ulberte, President of the Latvian Association of Beauty Specialists.
“Employees in our industry have this specificity – income is when there is a customer. There is no client, no money, ”says Renāte Reinsone, President of the Latvian Association of Beauticians and Cosmetologists.
Associations have warned health ministers that more and more masters are going into the shadow economy and providing services in their homes.
“Going underground, services become invalid. There are already other infections. It’s out of control. These locations can no longer be verified. Cooperation is lacking, ”admits the President of the Latvian Association of Beauticians and Cosmetologists.
The Ministry of Health hopes that the State Police will collect information on underground beauty care providers and conduct raids.
“Our goal is to reduce gatherings, going out of the family, out of work. We call on the public to give up services that are not vitally necessary, ”says the head of the Public Health Department.
Industry associations today also expressed dissatisfaction that cosmetology services, such as laser hair removal, continue to be provided freely by medical institutions.
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