Island Park reacts to closure of barber shops, nail/hair salons, tattoo parlors

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a directive via Twitter Friday morning ordering all barber shops, nail and hair salons, and tattoo parlors to close, effective March 21 at 8 p.m.

The governor tweeted the directive at 8:48 a.m., stating, "These temporary closures are not going to be easy, but they are necessary to protect the public health."

"What we do next will have a massive impact on the trajectory of this virus in New York," the governor had tweeted earlier in the week. "We can only maintain public health by staying apart. The decision each of us makes now will impact us all tomorrow. Stay home."

Marina Iskiyaeva, owner of NYC Panache Salon, in Island Park, said even before the closures, “everybody canceled” their appointments.

“What are we going to do?” she said, defeated. “If they order us to close, we have to close.”

Iskiyaeva is most concerned about how her workers will stay afloat and paying the rent. “I want to know what’s happening with the rent,” she said, noting that while Cuomo has issued mortgage payment freezes, “what about rent and small business?”

Yesterday, Cuomo tweeted “We know people are experiencing tremendous economic pressure due to #COVID19. To help, NYS will direct mortgage payments be WAIVED for 90 days based on financial hardship (w/ no late fees & no negative impact on credit).”

More to follow.