KUALA LUMPUR – All foreign barbers and hairdressers are required to undergo Covid-19 swab tests before resuming work, according to the latest guidelines issued by the National Security Council (NSC).
Additionally, all customers at barbershops, hairdressing salons and beauty parlours are required to apply a 1m social distancing rule when on premises and while queuing up.
Barbershop proprietors are required to set a 2m distance between each barber chair available on their premises.
These are among the standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid out by the NSC for the economic sector involving barbershops, hairdressing salons and beauty parlours.
Among the prohibited activities are earwax removal, nose-hair trimming, head/shoulder/body massage at barbershops, eyelash extension services, hair styling/treatment, and manicures/pedicures.
NSC also called on the operators to encourage acceptance of customers based on appointments. Walk-in customers are only to be admitted if there are no customers on the premises.
The sector was among the last few to receive the green light to resume operations after the government lifted the movement control order (MCO) last year.
It was reported that the late call by the government was due to difficulties in setting measures compliant with physical distancing rules stipulated by the Health Ministry, given that the sector’s jobs involves physical contact, which increases the risk of infection.
Despite last year’s challenging environment, the sector, which contributed RM13.5 billion to the annual gross domestic product, did not create any new Covid-19 clusters after business resumed mid-2020.
The implementation of MCO 2.0 on January 13 saw 16,728 registered hair salon businesses in the country, employing some 74,500 workers, being forced to shutter their businesses.
The first round of MCO saw 5,800 barber shops and hairdressing salons permanently closed, prompting Gabungan Pendandan Rambut Malaysia to appeal to the International Trade and Industry Ministry to allow their members to operate again. – The Vibes, February 10, 2021
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