An upscale facility that provides spa services and overnight care to new mothers and babies in Orange County reopened Friday, despite warnings from the health department to stay closed.

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Aishes Chayil is a post-birthing spa in the Village of Kiryas Joel. There, new mothers are pampered with prepared meals, massages, nails and facials before they go home from the hospital and while their babies are cared for by nurses. The facility has been closed since March, but has reopened for business Friday.

Village Administrator Gedalye Szegedin says the center is a residential care or skilled nursing facility which is allowed to reopen. However, the health department disagrees.

"They should not be operating. We've had that conversation with the operator there and they see it differently," says Orange County Deputy Health Commissioner Christopher Ericson.

Szegedin says the facility is operating under CDC guidelines and has a safety plan in place, but officials say Aishes Chayil is a "professional service,” which is not authorized to reopen until phase 2.

County Executive Steve Neuhaus says action will be taken if warnings are ignored. This may include a cease and desist, similar to the one issued in Kiryas Joel Wednesday when a school was allegedly found to have hundreds of students inside, during statewide public health orders to remain closed.

"Our concern is if we move too quickly…that we may see our spike go back up and it'll set us back," says Ericson.

Village and county officials say Aishes Chayil has submitted its reopening plan to the state and has yet to receive a response.

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