Wednesday February 10, 2021
The way out of lockdown
Open the hairdressers!
A comment by Jan Gänger
At the moment, it looks like barber shops are likely to reopen soon. This is good news – and not just for hairdressers struggling to survive.
There are really more important things than a good hairstyle – especially in times of a pandemic. Still, it is absolutely right that the hairdressers are finally opening up again.
The week-long lockdown wears down many people. The restrictions are severe, as necessary as they are. The longing for normalcy is great – and a visit to the hairdresser is a step in this direction. The opening gives hope that there is a way out of the lockdown.
A visit to the hairdresser can be easily combined with the infection control. Before the lockdown, the industry showed that it was implementing the necessary hygiene measures. The flow of customers can be easily controlled by making appointments.
It's like this: Many people now have their hair cut black. Hairdressers get involved because they urgently need to make money. And customers, because their last visit to the hairdresser was months ago. It is unlikely that corona rules will always be strictly followed when cutting hair in secret. This not only increases the risk of infection, but also makes it even more difficult to trace the contacts of infected people.
If the hairdressers stay closed for longer, moonlighting will increase. It can hardly be controlled. So it makes sense to open the salons. Here it is easy for the authorities to discover violations of corona requirements – and to punish them. For many people, the desire for a liberating haircut is great. In lockdown they feel cramped and neglected. A visit to the hairdresser is a huge relief.
In addition, many hairdressers are struggling to survive financially. You must finally be able to work again.
This is also the case elsewhere. For that reason alone, not everyone understands that it is precisely the hairdressing salons that should be opened – and that so many other things should be kept closed. The point, however, is: it's not about an either / or. As soon as the infection process allows, restrictions in other areas must be relaxed as much as possible. The hairdressers are a start.
So far, the majority of the population has supported the corona measures decided by the federal government and the prime minister – despite all the mistakes. The opening of the hairdressers would – in addition to the easing of day-care centers and primary schools – help to keep it that way.
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