Along with beauty parlours and tanning salons, tattoo studios will be able to reopen from Monday, July 13. From this weekend, outdoor swimming pools and lidos can welcome back customers in time for the summer, while concerts and theatre performances will also be allowed to go ahead. However, even when businesses do reopen, the experience will be considerably different to what you remember. Strict rules will be in place to ensure the risk of spreading coronavirus is kept to an absolute minimum. But with all this in mind, what are the guidelines for tattoo shops reopening.
Tattoo studios opened on July 6 in Northern Ireland, while reopening dates for Scotland and Wales have yet to be announced,
Tattoo artists and body piercers are already one step ahead in terms of cleanliness, as they are required to wear gloves when they work with clients.
In addition to this, their tools are also sanitised in between appointments as standard practice.
When they open again, tattoo studios will likely abide by some of the same measures as other businesses, which means hand sanitising stations and encouraged hand washing.
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Under the new guidance, tattoo artists are also being asked to “minimise the duration of contact with the client”.
This means you may find your tattoo artist working under reduced hours, and will not be able to spend as long on your design as you may be used to.
In addition, the Tattoo and Piercing Industry Union is suggesting staff wear PPE, including masks, face shields, aprons, and gloves, when tattooing.
Although artists always wear gloves, the other recommendations are newly introduced measures.
Just like pubs and restaurants, tattoo artists will be asked to keep customers’ details for 21 days in case of another outbreak.
This, according to Government guidance, is to help the NHS Test and Trace scheme, although is not obliged by law.
Under the new guidance, customers may also be asked to attend appointments alone to avoid too many people gathering in one area.
Some studios may get rid of their waiting areas altogether, in adherence with suggestions by the Tattoo and Piercing Industry Union.