'Very disappointing' hair and beauty salons won't reopen until 'way later' than March 5

Under the current Living with Covid-19 plan, hair and beauty salons are only allowed to open at Level 3. File picture

Personal services like hairdressers will not be allowed to reopen at the beginning of March, according to the Government.

A new plan for living with Covid-19 and how society can reopen is to be published later this month.

Tánaiste Leo Va Varadkar has said that Cabinet is hoping to agree to a revised plan to reopen society and the economy by February 22.

The proposals would come into effect on March 5 at the earliest and would be a revision to the existing Living with Covid-19 plan.

Mr Vardkar said that sectors including hairdressers and beauticians, will return “way later” than March 5.

President of the Irish Hairdressers Federation, Danielle Kennedy, said it is frustrating.

“We’re going into being closed for six months of the last 12 months at that point. So it’s very disappointing,” she said.

“We updated our industry guidelines in December and we’ve proven what a safe environment salons are and how safely we can operate throughout the crisis.” 

Under the current Living with Covid-19 plan, salons are only allowed to open at Level 3.

Ms Kennedy said salons should be allowed open at Level 4 “because we have proven what a safe environment it is to operate in”.

Last night, Nphet reported that there had been 68 further deaths and 556 new Covid-19 cases in Ireland.

Mr Vardkar did, however, say that he hoped that friends and families will be able to meet up outdoors from next month.

He said: “I hope that after March 5 it will be possible for households, for friends and family to meet outdoors.

“That was part of the first reopening, if you remember back in May, you were able to meet with other households outdoors or in a garden.

“We know that this virus is nearly 20 times more likely to transmit indoors versus outdoors.

“So getting people outdoors will be the thing.”

- additional reporting from PA