KINGSTON -- As Kingston businesses reopen after the COVID-19 lockdown, hair salons in the city are asking people from outside the region to stay away.
Some are taking steps to prevent tourists from locked down regions coming to the area for a haircut, in fear they could spread COVID-19.
"I don't want people coming here that are in a red zone, that could infect my business and the folks that work for me," Steve Wallace, owner of Luce's hair studio in downtown Kingston told CTV News Ottawa.
Wallace has been asking clients if they've travelled to a red zone over the past 14 days and plans to only book local clients who have been in the city for at least two weeks.
"It's all about protection right now unfortunately," Wallace said, something echoed by Gustavo Rosas, owner of the west end TG.co hair studio.
"I don't think there's never too much that you can do to prevent, to save someone from getting this," he told CTV News.
Hair stylist Tania Hupson said they won't be asking for proof or identification from customers as they try to strike a balance.
"We rely on people telling us the truth, because that's all we can do," she said, with restrictions expected to stay in place for at least a few weeks while more areas of the province slowly re-open.
"We love having customers from anywhere. But not right this moment."
Hair salons were among businesses shut down during a lockdown in the province that started on Dec. 26. The Kingston-area was one of the regions allowed to ease some of those restrictions earlier this week.
With Files from CTV News Ottawa''s Kimberley Johnson
