On March 20, 2020, San Francisco’s Department of Public Health, which oversees body art establishments and practitioners who perform any kind of cosmetic tattooing – including permanent makeup, semi-permanent makeup and microblading, sent out an email informing us that “the Health Order from San Francisco’s Health Officer . . . . states that all SF residents are on lockdown; furthermore, and most importantly to everyone in this email, all non-essential businesses are to close until April 7th or further notice. This means all massage and body art establishments. . . . ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES are those that provide healthcare, food and shelter, and education – it does not include massage or body art establishments. It is a misdemeanor if you are open and conducting business (15 days jail and/or monetary penalties).”
Given that this is a worldwide, fast-spreading pandemic with so many entire countries on lockdown, even in remaining hold-out places where there are no official restrictions, continuing to perform any services where a provider and client are in such close contact is too risky regardless of all reasonable precautions that are taken. The fate of other peoples’ lives and health depend on each and every one of us and vice versa.
As devastating a forced closure for an extended period of time is for any business, for the most part we are lucky to part of a fortunate industry where we can get back to work as soon as everyone does their part to shelter in place so that this virus can be contained.
Thank you to everyone for their patience in getting through this difficult time and please stay healthy and safe.
https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/files/HealthOrderC19-07-%20Shelter-in-Place.pdf