Hairdressers are asking to be allowed to remain open under Level 4 of the Living with Covid plan in the event that restrictions are tightened once again.
The Irish Hairdressers Federation has published updated health & safety guidelines, which it hopes will allow its members to stay open in Level 4.
It is likely that restrictions will be tightened once again after Christmas, with NPHET expressing concern about rising case numbers, and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar indicating that some new restrictions could be brought in between Christmas and New Years.
Under Level 4 restrictions, only essential retail and services, and businesses which primarily take place outdoors, would be allowed to remain open.
The IHF represents represents over 500 salon owners nationwide, employing more than 7,000 hairdressers and stylists.
Danielle Kennedy, President of the IHF, said “since we published our first health & safety document six months ago, a lot has changed in our response to the pandemic. We now know a lot more about how to control it and we decided to take a fresh look at our document alongside our health & safety experts.
“It is important that we constantly try to review and improve how we respond to the pandemic. We hope the Government will look at this and consider allowing us to remain open in Level 4 of the Living with Covid plan.’’
The updated guidelines from the IHF focus on updated legal mandates for face masks, ensuring that employees are trained on the different type of close of casual contacts a person may have, as well as on the EU traffic light system for clients who have travelled from outside the country.
“Our focus is to continue to operate safely and responsibly. The hair industry is not just a major contributor to local economies around Ireland, it helps keep countless main streets alive and is a huge part of local communities.’’
