Tattoo artists, body piercers, and shop owners are suffering due to these shutdowns. While some have financial help due to the COVID-19 relief bill, it’s still not enough to keep these businesses running and plenty are already going out of business due to these shutdowns. Families are in deep financial hardship, and $1200 is not enough for these shop owners to keep their business going as well as for their homes to be paid. Small business loans are available; however with the increase in these loans many are not getting the help they need, and paying back those loans will only make it worse for these businesses to thrive.

Stimulus Checks have not been received. Unemployment has not been received. When this income arrives our health insurance is late, car payments (not all able to defer), health insurance, we all need food, car insurance, phone and wifii bills, some of us have independent; rent for our studios and offices, heat, propane gas, electric, basic needs. With a rent freeze we will not have debt to our landlords.

Covid-19 can spread so easily, AND WILL, and anyone can carry it anywhere. If states reopen without adequate testing and tracing for containment, outbreaks will occur all across the country as people move around again and contact others. For those of us who have been so responsible and careful, the last thing we want is for other states and their policies, and residents and visitors, to jeopardize our own health and families AND further jeopardize health care workers. That is just WRONG! WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

@realDonaldTrump is second only to Fox News as the biggest source of false and misleading information that will lead to deaths in this country on an unprecedented scale if not at least confronted and named. We understand that his tweets could easily fall between the cracks of Twitter's policy guidelines, so I suppose this is primarily a moral decision. Do you want to be part of the problem and go down in history as a contributor to the the greatest and deadliest political scam in history? Or are you willing to take an historic stand to confront the usurpation of democracy by an unstable, corrupt, and lethal president who has chosen Twitter for his platform of misinformation?

Placing the Blame on Chinese people for the coronavirus is irresponsible during a time where Asian people are at an increased risk of violence and hate crimes. Calling for a travel ban is misguided and racist as they have not been shown to prevent spread. Travel bans do not keep us safe from the virus in an already globalized world. This ad only emboldens more ant-Asian bias. After the SARS outbreak and 9/11 attacks, the CDC and DOJ created plans to stop bias and hate crimes. Since the Republican administration has not yet done so, Joe Biden should show leadership by creating and releasing his plan for ending hate crimes and bias incidents during the COVIID-19 pandemic. He should also delete the ad and release a public apology. Here is the racist ad: https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1251582266251243525?s=20

By signing this petition we agree, though we may need the income, the risk is still too high and unknown. We are signing this petition to postpone the “Soft Opening”, "One Client at a Time", and to prolong the opening of any and all personal services to prevent spread and unsafe environments for the personal care service providers and clients. "Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others" - CDC How can we maintain the recommended safe distance of 6 foot while performing a service that requires direct physical contact with clients? Service providers and clients / guests are usually a maximum distance of one foot or less while performing / receiving these services. How can we guarantee safety and prevention of spreading the coronavirus in a salon when it is not currently guaranteed for those who are on the front-line in the medical field with proper PPE. If personal service providers had PPE how would this have an effect on the supplies for the medical professionals who need the PPE for patients and themselves? In the link above from The United States Department Of Labor for hazard recognition you will see these services would be defined as "HIGH EXPOSURE RISK" based off of the close proximity to perform personal services. Personal Services are not listed but the examples of exposure are. Personal care services are NOT essential services, as personal care services are a “LUXURY SERVICE”. No ones hair, nails, massages, facials, eyelashes, eyebrows, or other personal care service are above the risk of life lost. Personal care services do not provide BASIC HUMAN NEED. Personal care services are an important and unique services, but are not essential. Essential services should only include the well being of human health, safety, nutrition, utilities, home safety, and basic human needs or necessities. Personal Care services are not basic human needs nor necessary. If there are for health reasons then they should only be performed by the health care facilities. Opening these services may cause crowds and gatherings of more than 10 people at a time. This could also have more than 10 people in the same facility in a day which could cause potential spread. The Covid-19 is still very new, unpredictable, and still not fully understood. The CDC has yet to completely determine how to fully prevent spread, infection, a cure, or a vaccination to protect humanity as a whole. It would be best to remain closed temporarily and prolong the reopening of any and all personal care to reduce the chance of spreading the coronavirus and causing another spike or backpedal of all that has been accomplished by the social distancing. If and when we are deemed safe to re-open personal care services then we should be one of the last business types and services to open due to our need to be in close proximity of one another to perform such services. Many of us have clients with health issues like cancer, emphysema, diabetes, and more. If we are to re-open, how are we guaranteed that we will not be infected by a client and unknowingly spread the coronavirus to others? If we are to re-open, clients must trust that it is safe for them to come in for services. Even with adhering to a strict cleaning and decontamination policy, how can we guarantee that clients won’t contract the coronavirus? It is human nature to forget, get side tracked, and even skip a step unconsciously. What if our human nature can cause risk? What if a simple touch to an unsanitized surface causes a person to get sick? What if a simple sneeze while wearing a mask is not filtered enough as we stand / sit over one another? What if someone forgets a simple sanitation step? There are too many unknown variables and what if's to reopen at this time. As said above it is impossible to keep a safe social distance based off of the CDS's recommendation when we have to touch clients / guests to perform personal care services in less than a 6 foot distance even while wearing a mask. It is also almost impossible to follow the OSHA safety and sanitation guidelines as personal care service providers that do not have PPE attire. Personal Care Service providers would also need the proper training to learn all that these guidelines entail prior to opening which would not be possible in a short period of time. For the professionals in the personal care service industry, many have families that need to be protected as some are high risk to Covid-19. The business owners and service providers may have family members at home with underlying health issues. The service providers do not want to risk their own health or the health of their families by taking an unnecessary risk of bringing this virus home if the mandated orders are lifted prior to more facts of a guarantied safety or lower risk of spread. If personal care services are called to re-open the service providers will lose other financial aid and/or help from companies like the utilities, mortgage / rent, car payments, Unemployment, SBA loans, PPP loans, and more. These financial options are currently understanding of the pandemic and are willing to work with personal care providers. This is helping us stay home, safe, prevention of spread to high risk family members, high risk clients / guest, all while preventing the risk of losing their businesses and or job opportunities.

There are many essential workers like the governor, police, doctors, EMT workers, correction officers, store workers, food workers, kids, teens and all Americans who need to reduce their high levels of stress during these unprecedented times. Martial arts schools are equipped with Heavy bags, in many cases spaced out, and can provide great instructed classes. Considering this will create a sense of normality and have these frontliners, along with the American people, feel great and ready to report to work feeling strong and healthy. As we know, a healthy immune system is ideal to fight the Covid-19; this will also help with all the stress eating that is going around, which is creating a bigger problem in the health of many families. The governor of CT has shut down gyms and fitness centers as well Martial Arts academies and has deemed them non-essential. We are essential, especially when the mission is to keep kids, teens, and adults active and healthy, which is ideal given the current situation. Support the movement of healthy living and support the martial arts community.

Tattoo artists, body piercers, and shop owners are suffering due to these shutdowns. While some have financial help due to the COVID-19 relief bill, it’s still not enough to keep these businesses running and plenty are already going out of business due to these shutdowns. Families are in deep financial hardship, and $1200 is not enough for these shop owners to keep their business going as well as for their homes to be paid. Small business loans are available; however with the increase in these loans many are not getting the help they need, and paying back those loans will only make it worse for these businesses to thrive.

There are a lot of petitions going around asking you to let hair stylists, barbers, nail technicians, aestheticians, massage therapists, etc. go back to work. Even though they are suggesting using sanitation and proper cdc guidelines, this is in no way possible. Please understand we are touching everyone that walks in the door. Even if we limit it to one client at a time per service provider we are still putting ourselves and everyone that walks in at risk. Are aesthetics essential enough? It’s a NO from me!

North Carolina tattoo artists are a vital part of their communities, all Are required to have up to date certifications including but not limited to Cross Contamination prevention, first aid, CPR and most have multiple years of training in their field. We are also citizens, families, taxpayers, and provide a service that has been proven to be compromised when we, as a form of licensed, provisioned, health care worker, cannot operate from our licensed facilities. Time and time again we as tattoo shop owners, artists, and employees have seen a dramatic rise in major infection, disease, and sometimes death from the closing of our establishments. COVID19 is MORE likely to be spread by those tattooing or piercing at home. It is dangerous and negligent to think that we, as tax payers and competent, well respected shop owners and tattoo artist alike cannot help the current situation rather than hinder it.

As hair stylists we are trained in sanitation and keeping our tools and work stations clean. We need to be able to provide for ourselves and our family's.

Tattoo and body art professionals are trying to survive. These entrepreneurs are trained and skilled professionals who adhere to strict guidelines provided by the Board of Health and should be afforded the right to generate income. Our state is an anchor for many entrepreneurs to provide a home, safety, and nutritious food for their families, which is now being threatened by regulations that disproportionality impact tattoo artists and body art professionals. Poverty is a well known contributor to raise violence, addiction, homelessness, mental illness, and suicide. Continuing to restrict tattoo artists and body art professionals from generating income threatens the foundation of our community that has made great strides in reducing poverty, homelessness, and mental illness. Tattoo artists and body art professionals need to safely reopen their doors for business to allow Indiana to continue to make strides. Eric Holcomb proudly said "Indiana is ushering in an era of record job commitments, record infrastructure investments, and new career training opportunities, all while tackling our biggest issues head-on." Putting people first means allowing small shops and entrepreneurs to exercise their right to practice safely, which keeps Indiana as a leader in community growth.