NPHET says no to a vaccine bonus to allow haircuts

ACTING Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has ruled out a potential vaccine bonus that would allow people who have received the jab to get their hair cut before unvaccinated people.

It had been suggested that the Government was considering reopening personal services such as hairdressers and non-essential retail for vaccinated people only early next month.

The Irish Hairdressers Federation has called for its members to be allowed reopen for fully inoculated customers.

But appearing before the Oireachtas Health Committee yesterday afternoon, NPHET expert Dr Glynn said he hopes at least 80% of people will be vaccinated by the end of June, adding that there would then be no need to differentiate between those vaccinated and those not.

‘I would hope that we would see a far greater level of society open up than where we are at this point,’ he said.

‘For example, there’s been some suggestion that, “Well, maybe you can go get a haircut if you’re vaccinated”.

‘I’d hope that long before that if the disease remains under control, everyone will be able to go and get [a haircut] because the disease is under control.’

The first vaccine bonus since the start of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout was unveiled by the Government last month. The new advice said that two fully vaccinated people could meet up indoors without social distancing or masks.