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On Tuesday 23 June, Boris Johnson announced that hairdressing services can resume in England from 4 July, alongside restaurants, pubs, cinemas, and hotels in a significant easing of lockdown regulations. 

When announcing the major relaxation of lockdown rules, the Prime Minister declared that “our long national hibernation is beginning to come to an end” and argued that falling infection rates justified further loosening of the rules imposed in March.

However, when hairdressers reopen they’ll be operating with many new practices to ensure they’re Covid-secure; the guidelines include frequent hand-washing and maintaining social distancing at two metres, or one metre “plus”, Mr Johnson confirmed on Tuesday.

The official guidelines published on Wednesday morning state: “Hairdressers and barbershops will be permitted to reopen for services that relate to cutting or treating hair on the head only from 4 July 2020.”

Here’s what you can expect when visiting your hairdresser when it reopens under the new lockdown rules.

What new rules will be in place at hairdressers?

New guidance for “close contact” businesses – such as hairdressers – has now been published by the Government for England.

When visiting hairdressers, markings on the floor will show where people should sit, and customers will be encouraged to turn up to their appointment exactly on time rather than congregating in waiting areas.

If there is a queue, this should be outside with social distancing in place, and people should aim to attend appointments on their own.

Customers can expect to be seated away from others and side-to-side, with at least one metre (and preferably two) between themselves and other clients.

Till points will have perspex screens between customers and cashiers, and doors and windows will be kept open to increase ventilation.

It’s also being recommended to use screens to create a physical barrier between workstations, where possible.

Hairdressers must also wear a protective visor that extends below their chin, but do not need to wear an additional face mask.

Customers can choose to wear a face covering if they wish to but this is not mandatory.

You can still have your hair blow dried, but magazines will be ditched due to the risk of transferring Covid-19 via surfaces.

In addition, only water in disposable cups or bottles will be allowed, as salons will not be serving coffee.

Music must also be turned down low so that people do not end up shouting to one another, which increases the risk of transmitting the virus.

How will good hygiene be maintained?

Customers should be encouraged to wash or sanitise their hands as they enter the premises or before a treatment.

Salons should use disposable equipment where possible, but should wash non-disposable equipment such as scissors between each client.

Customer chairs should also be sanitised after each use, toilets cleaned regularly and disposable gowns used for each person where possible, with clean towels for each client.

Salons will also keep a temporary record of all clients and visitors for 21 days, in case there is a coronavirus outbreak.

This would enable NHS Test and Trace to easily contact anyone who has been in close contact with an infected individual, telling them to self-isolate.

Anyone with even mild symptoms will be told to stay at home and self-isolate.

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You can see the full article here – https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/hairdressers-guidelines-government-covid-19-rules-guidelines-salons-when-open-4-july-new-lockdown-rules-454434