Hairdressers told to wear masks not visors to combat Covid-19

Hairdressers have been told to remind themselves of the difference between close and casual contacts for the purposes of dealing with Covid-19.

The Irish Hairdressers Federation (IHF) has urged its members to know the difference to ensure that salons do not have to close down again.

The federation is the trade association for Irish hairdressers and represents over 500 salon owners nationwide, who in turn employ over 7,000 stylists.

According to the Health Service Executive, a close contact occurs if you are within two metres of somebody in an indoor setting for at least 15 minutes.

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This would apply to individual customers of a hairdresser, but not necessarily to customers who are not served by the same hairdresser.

The federation has published updated health and safety guidelines which take into account new information and insights about Covid-19.

It points out that hairdressers should wear face masks and not visors. Visors are not medically recommended by doctors.

The federation has told hairdressers to be aware of the EU traffic light system regarding clients who have travelled from abroad.

It has also stressed the importance of ensuring salons are well ventilated with fresh air where possible.

The updates to the federations document, which was released in June, reflects changes in the understanding of Covid-19, how it spreads and the effective measures for controlling it.

Federation president Danielle Kennedy said that much has changed since the first document was published six months ago.

“We now know a lot more about how to control it and we decided to take a fresh look at our document alongside our health & safety experts,” she said.

“It is important that we constantly try to review and improve how we respond to the pandemic.”

She is hopeful that if the Government moves to Level 4 in the New Year to prevent a third spike in cases, hair salons will be allowed to stay open.

"'It is important that we constantly try to review and improve how we respond to the pandemic. Our focus is to continue to operate safely and responsibly. The hair industry is not just a major contributor to local economies around Ireland, it helps keep countless main streets alive and is a huge part of local communities.''