Barbers in Huating a cut above the rest
Lu Beibei and Yang Yang
BARBERS in Huating Town are offering free haircuts for medical staff, police officers, grassroots cadres and other “heroes in harm’s way” working on the frontline of novel coronavirus pneumonia prevention.
As barber shops in Jiading District remain closed to reduce human contact, having a haircut is difficult for most people, including those fighting the virus.
A group of professional barbers in Huating Town are volunteering their services at community health service centers, police stations and checkpoints to provide free haircuts for frontline personnel.
They start by meticulously cleaning and disinfecting their work tools.
One of their first “customers” was Guo Wankui, a medical worker at Huating Health Service Center. Busy combatting against the epidemic, his crew cut had grown sideburns and a fringe.
As the barber adeptly moved his scissors and comb, Guo’s face that used to look weary gradually brightened.
“I feel happy and grateful for my barber who volunteers to offer free haircuts for us medical workers. The barbers are all closed now and I don’t have time to worry about my hair in particular. I haven’t had a haircut for a month. My barber’s skill is impressive. After the haircut, I feel refreshed and relaxed,” said Guo, who has been helping people confined at home.
After their work at the health service center, the volunteers headed to Huating Police Station and Huating Checkpoint to offer policemen free haircuts.
“The frontline personnel work really hard. They stick to their posts after the country declares war against the epidemic. We hope we can do something for them such as offering a free haircut as far as our capacity allows,” said Sun Zhigao, a member of the group.
To obey epidemic prevention requirements, all volunteers have to undergo a series of checks, ensure their individual protection is good and have their work tools cleaned and disinfected. To prevent gatherings, they offer their services in batches.