CALIFORNIA—On Thursday, May 7, California Governor Gavin Newsom said that the outbreak of COVID-19 in California began in a nail salon, and such shops will hence remain closed for the time being.

“This whole thing started in the state of California, the first community spread, in a nail salon,” Newsom said at a news briefing. “I’m very worried about that.”

Nail salons will be allowed to open – along with other “higher-risk workplaces” like movie theatres and religious services – when the state reaches Stage 3 of its Resilience Roadmap

California moved to Stage 2 of its Roadmap on Friday, May 8, allowing lower-risk workplaces to open. This enables manufacturing and logistics-related offices to open, as well as curbside pickup from retail outlets to start. Towards the end of this stage, some hospitality and personal services, adapted versions of schools, and childcare services will be allowed to open. Retail outlet restrictions will also relax.

CNBC reported that Michelle Saunders James, owner of Saunders and James Nail Care in Oakland, California, was “shocked” by Newsom’s remarks. She claims to not have heard about the COVID-19 outbreaks stemming from nail salons from either health officials or the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.

“Had they known that this was the situation, absolutely zero information was ever sent to any nail care people in the industry at all,” Saunders James said in an interview with CNBC. “It was very scary to hear that.”

“Because if you’re comfortable enough to go to the dentist, or go in to see your physician, then if we’re wearing the same thing and our environment is as sterile and sanitized as a medical office, then why wouldn’t the customer feel comfortable getting a manicure in that situation?”