(WXYZ) — If you’re badly in need of a haircut, there’s good news for you. Governor Whitmer is allowing hair, nail, and massage salons to open back up starting June 15th. As exciting as this may sound, exactly how safe will it be to enter these establishments? Chief Health Editor Dr. Partha Nandi tells us about the risks.
I know plenty of folks who can hardly wait to get a haircut. But before anyone rushes to these establishments, you really need to know that even with safety precautions in place, there is still an elevated risk of getting the coronavirus. That’s because these types of businesses require people to be in close proximity to each other. Otherwise, it’d be impossible for a hairdresser, massage therapist, or manicurist to stand six feet away and get the job done. So, not only are these folks right next to you, but they’ll also be breathing over or near you. Not to mention, these businesses can be quite busy and have a high turnover of customers. This means the salon employees will also face a higher risk of infection. Because the nature of their job means that they have physical contact with customers. Not to mention that they’ll be sharing the same air space.
Well, I’m no expert in the hair-cutting field, but there are lots of ideas on YouTube that you can watch and try out. Some are quite entertaining like when a father used a bowl on his son’s head and then cut around it in a circle. However, I can share a fun way for women to cut their hair if it’s long enough. First, you want to brush your hair into a ponytail. Then hang your head upside down and cut the hair at a length that suits you. When you take it out of the ponytail, it falls in layers and it looks really nice. But again, I’m not an expert, and to be honest, June 15th is really not that long of a wait. And wait is what I’d really recommend that you do.
Here are some safety precautions for you to consider:
- Call ahead and find out how often the business cleans and sanitizes - and if they are sanitizing chairs and tables between every customer
- Next, make sure they have 6-feet between operating stations
- Also, are the staff required to wear masks?
- And what about capes, are they using disposable ones or reusing the same cape when cutting hair?
- Lastly, find out if you’ll be able to wear a mask when getting a haircut. Which I really recommend that you wear one at all times. Just because Michigan is opening back up, it doesn’t mean that the virus has gone away. We’ve really come a long way, and now is the time to be vigilant. We really don’t want those virus case numbers to rise back up again.
This week on The Dr. Nandi Show: Suicide - How Can We Stop this Epidemic? As a health hero, one of the most important things to Dr. Partha Nandi is your mental health. And that’s why he tackles this incredibly tough topic with Ruth Soukup, a suicide survivor, and two other guests whose families have been touched by the loss of a loved one. Plus, you'll learn the signs of suicide with Dr. Suvrat Bhargave. And author Steve Simpson joins Dr. Nandi to talk about how Hollywood is changing the face of mental health awareness. Tune in this Sunday, June 7th at 1 PM.
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