Mohawk Valley on Target for June Reopening of Hair Salons and Restaurants

If everything goes according to plan, the Mohawk Valley region could see hair salons and then restaurants open as soon as early to mid-June.

Earlier this week, Governor Cuomo announced the Mohawk Valley region - which includes Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego,  and Schoharie counties -
has reached all the criteria needed to begin to reopen, following a four phase plan.

Phase 1 businesses include:

• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Retail - Curbside Pickup
• Wholesale Trade
• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
• Drive-In Movies
• Low-contact sports including golf and tennis

The next set of phases include hair salons in Phase 2, and then restaurants in Phase 3.

So how and when do we get back to getting our hair done and enjoying our favorite restaurant?

As the Phase 1 reopening gets underway, data including COVID-related hospitalizations, and the rate of positive tests will be monitored to ensure we can move on to the next Phase. There are at least two weeks between phases. So, if everything goes well, we could see salons open as soon as early June and restaurants as soon as mid-June.

Of course, it's not as simple as just opening the doors. Businesses must consider three factors as they plan to reopen: steps to protect employees and customers, including changes to ensure there aren't too many people at work at one time; changes to the physical workplace, like requiring masks, and implementing strict cleaning procedures; and other potential changes like screening individuals when they enter the workplace, or reporting confirmed positives to customers.

Even when our favorite restaurants and salons open, things won't look the same as before the virus - but we're willing to compromise if it means we can get back to some kind of normal.

You can see the entire Reopening Plan HERE.