2020-06-05 09:04:28 -0400
To: Gov. Phil Murphy & Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver
Allow Licensed & Health Department Regulated Tattoo Studios to open in NJ
Hello from the Professional Tattooers and Piercers of NJ
We respectfully petition the Governor to allow tattoo and piercing studios to reopen along with Salons and Barbershops as we are currently not listed anywhere within the reopening phases.
New Jersey's licensed tattoo and piercing community are at the forefront of health and safety practices. We are required to undergo annual re-certification in the prevention of disease transmission. We are trained to recognize all types of skin issues, and keep current on potential contagions both bloodbourne and airborne . Long before the COVID-19 outbreak, we were practicing Standard Precautions were several times a day, every day that we worked in order to provide a safe, clean environment for our customers and ourselves. This has been the case for decades. Our studios are already set up to provide a minimum 80q. feet of dedicated space for each artist and client as required by our state health department. This preset already has us able to provide more than enough area to minimize contact between people, and implement proper social distancing.
As we look forward to the day when our businesses can reopen, The Alliance of Professional Tattoo Artists working with the Association of Food and Drug Officials, The Alliance of Professional Piercers, The National Environmental Health Association and others have constructed a COVID-19 specific protocol to be implemented to help us to reopen safely. A copy of these protocols has been forwarded to your web page and has already been discussed, reviewed and added to with the head of the Body art Division within the State of New Jersey's health department.
Why is this important?
As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, and non essential business remain closed, licensed Tattoo artists and Body Piercers have been directly affected by the health and financial burdens that it has caused. We care deeply for our communities, and especially for those who have suffered a loss or illness as a result of the pandemic. We have been overwhelmingly willing to self isolate and sacrifice our livelihoods, and were among the first to step up and donate our Personal Protective Equipment to the cause while we waited for weeks to receive any kind of support . Not allowing us to reopen along with salons and barbershops would be a sign of extreme prejudice. Please consider we are as essential to our families as any other working person.