Coronavirus: Salons reopen in San Mateo County, some employees stay home

SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Nail salons and tattoo parlors in San Mateo County are now allowed to reopen.

Soleil Luna Nail Spa in San Mateo opened early today to get started.

"I'm thrilled that we are able to open today," said owner Linda Pham.

Pham says demand is high but she is handling it alone. Her 13 technicians told her they are not ready to come in yet. This as she has spent $15,000 to 18,000 on safety precautions.

COVID-19 RISK CALCULATOR: Quiz yourself on the safest, most dangerous things you can do as CA reopens

"It was definitely worth it," she said. "I am able to interact with my clients. They can feel safe here. Myself as well as my technicians can also feel safe being in an environment where we are all well protected."

She has partitions between the technician and the client and in between each pedicure and nail station. Temperatures are taken, hand sanitizer distributed and masks are worn.

It's why Mary Eusevio drove to the San Mateo salon from Pacifica and was the first client Friday morning.

"I heard this place had the barriers up and the protocols in place for COVID-19. I wanted to be safe," Eusevio said.

RELATED: Reopening California: Here's everything allowed to open in CA, and what we're still waiting on

Linda Pham says being closed for so long was stressful. And now long hours await her as she tries to meet the demand without her usual staff. She says she is booked through Monday.

"We have a lot of support from the community," Pham said. "We have a lot of people requesting on Yelp, coming to the door, waiting for us to open, calling and texting, social media... they're very excited and very appreciative that we even went this extra step to protect them."

San Mateo County's health officer says the success of stopping the spread of the virus is now in the hands of the residents.

As the county continues to reopen he says people will need to follow the safety guidelines to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus pandemic, submit yours via the form below or here.

Get the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus pandemic here

RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:

• COVID-19 Help: Comprehensive list of resources, information
• When will the San Francisco Bay Area reopen? Track progress on 6 key metrics to reopening here
• Everything we know about CA businesses opening and what comes next
• Life after COVID-19: Here's what restaurants, gyms will look like
• Here's everything allowed to open in CA (and what we're still waiting on)
• WATCH LIVE: Daily briefings from CA, Bay Area officials
• INTERACTIVE TIMELINE: How close was CA to becoming a NY-level crisis?
• What is a COVID-19 genetic, antigen and antibody test?
• Everything you need to know about the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order
• Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area/
• List: Where can I get tested for COVID-19 in the Bay Area?
• COVID-19 Diaries: Personal stories of Bay Area residents during novel coronavirus pandemic
• Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic
• What does COVID-19 do to your body and why does it spread so easily?
• WATCH: 'Race & Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation' virtual town hall about COVID-19 impact on Asian American community
• WATCH: 'Race & Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation' virtual town hall about COVID-19 impact on African American community
• WATCH: 'Race & Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation' virtual town hall about COVID-19 impact on Latino community
• WATCH: 'Your Mental Health: A Bay Area Conversation' virtual town hall addressing COVID-19 impact on mental health
• Symptoms, prevention, and how to prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak in the US
• List of stores, companies closing due to coronavirus pandemic
• Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions