COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster today announced that close contact service providers, fitness and exercise centers, commercial gyms, and public or commercial pools will be able to open in a limited capacity on Monday, May 18. 

Close contact service providers include the following businesses: Barber shops, hair salons, waxing salons, threading salons, nail salons and spas, body-art facilities and tattoo services, tanning salons, massage-therapy establishments and massage services.

Commercial gyms will include group exercise facilities such as yoga studios, barre classes, and others.

“With our increased capacity for testing the people of our state, it is time to responsibly and gradually get these small businesses back up and running,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “We have an opportunity to set an example for the rest of the world by reinvigorating our economy while staying safe, but we can only do that if South Carolinians continue to follow the advice and recommendations of our public health experts.”

The governor’s announcement comes following nearly three weeks of accelerateSC meeting, in part, for the purpose of developing guidelines for operations that each of these businesses are expected to follow, if and when they choose to open. 

The “Response” component of accelerateSC, with advice and recommendations from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), have developed general guidelines for close contact service providers, along with specific guidelines for cosmetology establishments, gyms and fitness centers, and public or commercial pools.

These guidelines include, but are not limited to the following:

• Guidance on social distancing within businesses, including recommended capacity requirements
• Additional cleaning and sanitizing guidelines for equipment, tables, chairs, etc.
• Additional guidance on health checks for employees
• Additional guidance on training for employees