Tattooing: Coronavirus

(asked on 18th June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons tattoo shops, in which personal protective equipment, non re-usable needles are used and strict hygiene standards apply, are included in the same category as hairdressers and beauty salons in respect of when they may reopen after the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Paul Scully Portrait
Paul Scully
This question was answered on 24th June 2020

The Government is committed to reopening businesses in a phased approach, guided by the science to ensure it is safe to do so. As such, we have now published (23 June) new guidance for working safely during coronavirus for close contact services and restaurants, pubs and bars. This supports the Prime Minister’s announcement on 23 June for their reopening from 4 July where they can do so in a safe and COVID-secure way, and their preparation for reopening at a later date where they cannot reopen on 4th July – as in the case of some close contact services.

Close Contact Services are defined as work where someone is in close physical proximity to other individuals outside their household for a sustained period of time throughout their working day. This includes tattoo artists who need to be in close physical contact and often in touching distance with people outside their household for long periods of time to do their work.

Some of these sectors remain closed because the risk of transmission in these environments is higher due to the indoor environment and closer physical contact. We will work with the sector to develop safe ways for them to open at the earliest point at which it is safe to do so.

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