As of March 25 the government banned businesses such as nail salons and beauty parlours from operating. Hairdressing salons and barber shops however are given the green light to continue working.
Less than 48 hours after announcing that hair appointments must be kept to 30 minutes, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lifted the restriction this morning.
He says, “Following the receipt of feedback on the practical implementation of measures announced regarding barbers and hairdressers it was agreed by Premiers and Chief Ministers at National Cabinet last night that the instruction regarding 30 minutes per patron will be lifted (effective immediately), but that the 4 square metre rule per person must be strictly observed within the premises and that personal contact during the patron’s visit should be minimised wherever possible.”
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Hairdresser Dorothy Gambas works from home and says she has cancelled all of her appointments after Friday to ensure her family’s safety.
She says, “It’s all well and good to have the clients far from each other, but we’re right on top of them so I don’t understand why we haven’t been shut down. I’m on a few hairdressing pages on Facebook and a lot of them have said they’ve closed already.”
Dorothy says the new restrictions don’t make much sense.
“The nail technicians are the same distance as I am cutting someone’s fringe, but there’s no way to work around it.”
Sophia Georgiou works at a salon Glen Waverley which has decided to shut its doors, saying “this goes beyond rules and regulations, this virus is a killer.”
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“It’s a very close contact job, you have to go to the front of the person and even without our masks back then I could almost feel them breathe. It’s so close. When people speak, there are always excess particles that come out that you can’t feel. When you’re washing their hair and they’re talking up at you, it goes right up your nostrils,” says Sophia.
Sophia said that customers are understanding of the cancellations.
Her advice for those upset with the nationwide shut downs, “Comb your hair back, wear a hat, you’re indoors anyway… the virus will actually kill you, your hair won’t.”