Health guidelines ignored in salons, beauty parlours

Amid a spike in Covid-19 cases, government offices and transportation services have been allowed to reopen with limited capacity while following social distancing and health guidelines. 

As Dhaka slowly begins to reopen, barbershops, hair salons, and beauty parlours are among the first services to resume. 

However, that does not mean it is an easy call to get in the chair as beauty parlours and salons are disregarding safety precautions.

The social distancing rule cannot be adhered to while stylists are working on hair.

So, experts say there is no chance of maintaining social distancing in the trade of parlours and salons. 

Also, the workers use the same equipment many times. Thus, it is very easy for the novel coronavirus to spread from parlours and salons.

So, experts have called on the government to give clear instructions about parlours and salons.

Several top parlours and salons in affluent areas have chosen to remain closed.

Meanwhile, many female customers were seen crowding the Beauty Face Pakistani Parlour of Uttar Badda's Shahjadpur at 11am.

There was no arrangement to maintain social distancing even though the customers and hairdressers wore face masks. 

The waiting room was packed with customers where they were supposed to "walk in, have it cut and leave."

Ishmat Mostari, a homemaker from Natun Bazar, came to the parlour for a haircut and pedicure.

She told The Business Standard: "It has been almost three months since I got a haircut. My nails have also grown exponentially."

Asked about the risk of Covid-19 infection Lima said, "There is a risk. But, I had to come here as I could not stay this way anymore."

Shahana Begum, the owner of the parlour, told The Business Standard, "Our business remained completely closed for the last three months. Now we have reopened as the government has allowed us to do so."

Asked about social distancing she said, "It is being maintained here as much as possible."

However, another homemaker, Munia Mahfuz who came to the parlour for a facial went back home seeing people thronging it.

"The crowd there will turn it into a Covid-19 hotspot," said Munia.

Not only Beauty Face of Uttar Badda, but other parlours started functioning in full swing in different areas of the capital, namely in the residential areas.

It was all the same at: Gulshan 2's Icon Beauty Parlor, Merul Badda's Badhushaj, Moghbazar's Shantis' Makeover plus Rampura's Romania in, Liza Beauty Centre, Moon Makeover.

However, the country's renowned beauty parlour Persona has not yet reopened any of its branches since it was declared closed on March 21.

No branches of Farzana Shakil's Makeover Salon makeover have reopened either.

Asked about the issue, Nuzhat Khan Disha, managing director of Persona, told The Business Standard, "The decision to reopen parlours or salons is not at all the right one at the time of the Covid-19 outbreak."

"This is because it is not possible to do any beauty treatment while maintaining social distancing. Also, hygiene rules cannot be followed. Every job in beauty care has to be done in close proximity to the client," she continued.

"Persona will reopen after taking stock of the situation for a few more days or when the situation becomes normal," she added.

Hair salons and barbershops overcrowded

The hair salons in the residential areas of the capital witnessed high customer demand yesterday.

At Merul Badda's Mayer Doa Haircut salon, where two barbers work, consumer demand could be noticed at 12pm.

After waiting for about an hour and a half, Md Sulaiman, a resident of the area, could get a haircut from there.

Sulaiman said, "My hair has grown so out-of-control during the general holidays that I had to come here." 

Salons across the capital, like the beauty parlours, were seen not following any social distancing or health guidelines.

Mayer Doa Haircut's barber Debdulal said, "We are working and keeping everything clean. There is no chance of getting infected from here."

The same picture was seen in four more salons of the area. Some salons left their main gate half-open but there were too many people inside to accommodate.

Nitya Gopal, an employee of Platinum Salon at Mouchak, said, "We did not throw open our shutter, but we pulled it up, halfway, to work on a limited scale. This will also ensure a smaller customer flow. We are also not letting more than two customers enter the salon at the same time."

Bangladesh Nar Sundar Kalyan Samiti General Secretary Dipok Shil told The Business Standard, "The hairdressers of the country have had no income for three months. So, they have no other option but to work now."

Asked about the issue, Dr Muzaherul Huq, former regional advisor for the World Health Organization South Asia, told The Business Standard, "The government had decided to reopen offices, cars and institutions with conditions. It gave 13 instructions including complying with social distancing health guidelines."

"However, there are no clear instructions about parlours or salons from where the virus can spread easily. So businesses like salons and parlours are running freely," he explained.  

"The government should take appropriate measures in this regard. People should also be more aware," he said.