Nail salon worker tests positive for coronavirus days after Oklahoma shop reopens
An Oklahoma nail salon announced Wednesday that one of its workers tested positive for COVID-19 less than two weeks after the store reopened as the state relaxed its coronavirus restrictions.
The Nailspot, located in Bartlesville in norrthwest Oklahoma, said it will close its doors for two weeks, per the recommendation from the Washington County Health Department.
The shop reopened May 5 after being closed since March 26, it said on its Facebook page. Oklahoma’s nail salons, as well as hair salons and barbershops, were allowed by Gov. Kevin Stitt to reopen April 24, KTEN reported.
To properly implement the state’s guidelines for reopening, The Nailspot opened its shop back up nearly two weeks after it was allowed.
One of the workers who was at the salon May 5-7 was exposed to coronavirus, the salon wrote May 7 on Facebook. At the time, it remained open and said it was “taking every precaution to ensure the safety and well being” of its patrons and staff.
The test for the worker came back positive Wednesday, the salon said.
“If you were in the salon on these days you could have potentially been exposed,” The Nailspot wrote. “Washington County Health Department recommends that any customer that was in the salon during this time self-isolate for 14 days.”
It’s not clear if the infected worker got the virus from someone inside the shop or elsewhere. The salon asked clients with underlying health risks or who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 to stay home.
No staff members from the salon are experiencing any symptoms, The Nailspot wrote on Facebook.
The state of Oklahoma released guidelines for nail salons reopening last month. They included more frequent cleaning and disinfecting social distancing rules and staggering appointments.
There are more than 4,900 coronavirus cases and 284 deaths in Oklahoma, according to the state.
This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Nail salon worker tests positive for coronavirus days after Oklahoma shop reopens."