Long and short of it is there’s more than fringe benefits to reopening hair salons
JUDGING by the shame barometer – what people are prepared to admit to – it seems getting the hairdresser around is widespread and there’s little point keeping them shut past April. I’m assuming Nphet and the Government are not operating in a fantasy world where they reckon nobody is getting the nails done or partaking in an illicit cut and colour. I’m assuming they have built some drift into any model or decision on when to reopen.
But they obviously have no idea of the extent of the unregulated activity, because if they did they would not leave people hanging. Compared to when hairdressers and barbers closed last year, it’s obvious there’s less of an appetite for DIY jobs and there’s now little dishonour in fessing up that the hairdresser was over to tidy the locks. Because there is more of a critical mass partaking, this encourages others to do the same. If your neighbour and sister are getting the hair done, then it starts to feel almost, well, acceptable.
An aquaintance even told me the other day she was considering getting her highlights done in her actual hair salon – they are letting loyal customers slip in the side door, cash only, obviously. She was in two minds. With all the equipment on the premises they would do a better job if she went in, but it’s serious if you are caught.
In February seven people were arrested in a hair salon in Balbriggan, under breaches of the Health Act, and one person charged. Perhaps she would be safer getting her stylist over to the gaff?
I was stunned she spilled the beans without reservation but later I realised she spoke so freely because she presumed I was also getting my hairdresser around (I was wearing a hat so my frizzy ‘wreck of the Hesperus’ scene was tucked away).
In the week to April 3, there were 225 Covid outbreaks in private homes – almost 60pc of the total – and you have to assume a hairdresser going house to house will be riskier than a well-regulated salon, where belongings go in a bin bag and you are forbidden to sip coffee.
Compared to other countries on the continent, we don’t take the view hair is an essential service. Countries such as Spain have not shut salons since June, Germany reopened on March 1, Switzerland barely closed. In its latest lockdown, France shut non-essential shops but kept hair salons and barbers open. In Wales, hair salons opened in mid-March, in Scotland it was last Monday and yesterday in England they opened again.
There is growing speculation Northern Ireland will reopen on April 26.
They are ahead of us on the vaccination schedule, of course, and in an ideal world it makes sense to keep closed until we have large proportion vaccinated also. But we need to work with what is actually happening and not in a parallel reality.
I checked my suspicions with veteran hairdresser Mark McCauley, owner of the Kazumi salons in Dublin city centre and Monkstown.
Has his expert eye clocked more professional hair cuts this time around?
“It’s rampant,” he said. “It’s not only barbers and hairdressers visiting clients’ houses, but I know of salons open to customers.”
Mark is perhaps more aware than some hairdressers of the consequences of Covid and the importance of sticking to the rules. His doctor wife Suzanne works on a Covid ward and he has forbidden his staff from visiting clients’ homes, even though “they are getting numerous requests from clients every day”.
“I go for daily walks around Dún Laoghaire and Sandycove and it’s so obvious the numerous people I spot with perfect hair are not doing it themselves.
“From TV presenters to the employees in my local Tesco, the reality is many are getting their hair done professionally at home, and it is up to the Government and Nphet if they want to take that on board or ignore it.
“Would they prefer to continue with the current recklessness or let people get their hair done safely? – that’s the question,” he said.
He points out there is also a negative financial impact.
“It is not only Covid consequences. This has a negative rippling effect across the board. Keeping hairdressers closed is a big expense to the taxpayer, and second, with the home-cuts, Revenue is missing out on a lot of VAT,” he said.
Nphet is focused on saving as many lives as possible, but by choosing not to take into account that many are now breaking the rules, then the unintended consequences may be more Covid cases overall.
It’s time for our decision-makers to lean less on science and look more to human nature.
If people were told personal services were set to open up in a few weeks, they would not feel the need to ask their hairdresser to come over.
There is nowhere to go, but there’s a boost to morale getting the bad hair sorted, which is why people do it; and hairdressers are agreeing to clients’ requests because while it’s against the law and risky – the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has said those fraudulently claiming Covid-19 payments will be prosecuted – many can’t survive on the PUP.
There is a choice to turn a blind eye to what is going on or to take a more realistic approach. But one thing is certain, whatever is decided, people are people and the six-week cycle of haircuts and colour will roll on regardless.
‘Would they prefer to continue with the current reckless situation or let people get their hair done safely?’