Ontario’s stay-at-home order was lifted on Tuesday February 16 in all but four of Ontario’s public health units—Toronto, Peel Region, York Region and North Bay Parry Sound District. Public health units in areas where the stay-at-home order was lifted have transitioned back to the government’s colour-coded COVID-19 tiered framework, which governs what restrictions are in place in each region. The stay-at-home order will remain in place in the last four regions until at least February (and possibly into March), at which point they are also expected to transition to the framework.
It is timely to re-enforce the need to have good practices in place for “in-person” cosmetics retail – both for those jurisdictions that are now open as well as those still shut-down but preparing to re-open. This is critical to help reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19 and protect our beauty advisors, direct sellers, and their customers/clients.
What do we know about Covid-19? We know it can spread through respiratory droplets, personal contact, and touching a surface with the virus on it. We know that it can survive on some surfaces and products but may also be inactivated by cleaning and disinfecting. We know that it can result in devastating health consequences and even death. And we know that there are now several new variants of the virus circulating which have the potential for even easier transmission!
While vaccines have been and continue to be developed, it will take many months or even longer to get enough Canadians vaccinated to slow the spread and stop the pandemic. Until this time, we all need to work together to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus.
So, it is timely to re-enforce the need for:
• compulsory mask-wearing for both customers and employees (with possible “double masking” being required to protect from new variants)
• social distancing and the use of plexi-glass shields
• strict safety/hygiene protocols for customer interactions, product demonstrations, and make-up applications
• eliminating customer access to product “testers”
Cosmetics Alliance Canada, with the help of subject experts and industry partners, has developed Guidance for Re-Opening In-Person Cosmetics Retail. It can be found HERE. The materials were developed to help industry understand and mitigate the risk of exposure to the coronavirus as well as assist in training and promoting the safety of beauty advisors and their customers.
As the beauty industry, we must do “our part” at the beauty counter and in the cosmetics aisles to remain vigilant in protecting the health of employees and customers throughout the pandemic.
