Story pitch: Tattooing during COVID-19

Like everything else, the local tattoo industry has been upended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists were suddenly out of work when tattoo studios were ordered to shut down. As independent contractors, this affected how some artists were about to collect unemployment benefits to survive. Tattoo parlors, among other businesses, were allowed to reopen in April with new COVID-19 precautions. Local studios in Athens, Georgia have made various changes to decrease the risk of spreading the virus as they’ve reopened, but the safety of getting a tattoo right now is still in question. How is the industry faring because of this? How has business and clientele been affected?