Coronavirus: Is it safe to get a haircut?

When hairdressers and salon owners call for a government shutdown of their own industry, it's a sign they're pretty worried. Many fear it's unwise to continue operating as coronavirus spreads. For now, though, the authorities are satisfied it's safe enough to keep salons open.

What are the rules for hair salons?

Hair salons aren't on the list of "non-essential" services ordered to shut down this week. But they're subject to the same rules as other indoor venues: only one person is allowed in the salon for every four square metres. A decision to limit appointments to 30 minutes was later reversed. "It was very apparent that it was an impractical limitation," deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth said.

How dangerous is getting a haircut?

An Australian expert on the World Heath Organisation (WHO) advisory panel for COVID-19 says there are significant transmission risks. "Your hairdresser cuts your hair from behind closely, and from the front as well, so there is no 1.5- or 2-metre distance … and they're in continuous exposure for over 30 minutes," says Marylouise McLaws, who is also a professor of epidemiology and infectious diseases control at the University of New South Wales. "If it's not good enough for people standing in a queue waiting to pay for their groceries, we want them to be a couple of metres apart, it fails the logic test to have exposure to a client in a hairdresser's sink for half an hour." The CEO of the Australian Hairdressing Council, Sandy Chong, sees other risks in salons as well. "When you blow-dry someone's hair, you are going to be blowing particles of skin around and so on, and they could carry the virus as well," she says.

Is it safe for hairdressers?

All of these risks apply to hairdressers too, but they're multiplied because hairdressers generally see many clients across their day. And they say not all of their clients are considering the dangers. "People are still coming [into salons] and claiming they've been on holiday, or that their husband is home in isolation because he's a risk but they're coming in to get their hair done," Melbourne hairdresser Sarah Anderson says.

Are there ways to reduce the risks?

Deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly says there are many things salons can do to minimise the risk of transmission: "Having hand sanitiser at the door, making sure people wash their hands before they come in, insisting that people that are sick don't come." Hairstylists Australia is advising hairdressers to space out chairs, take lunch breaks outside, and wear masks and gloves. "We understand some owners might see it [masks and gloves] as a 'bad look', but your health and safety should be your main priority," the union advises hairdressers. Source: abc