Am I missing something? Hairdressers open, restaurants closed?!

[Daisywashername]

Name change for this (I will probably get bashed for this)

I had a baby 8 weeks ago so I’ve been pretty much isolating during my whole pregnancy.

Today was the first time I’ve been to the hairdressers since giving birth (and since before pregnancy)

I have to be honest and say it did feel safe.
Temperature check on arrival, asked to sanitise hands on the way in and out.
Seats were wiped before and after I sat down.

The girl that washed my hair wore a mask and visor.

The hairdressers though only wore masks, this surprised me considering the close contact.
I was happy with that as I also had my mask on.

But what I don’t understand is why being in close contact with a hair dressers is allowed, yet so many of our lovely local restaurants are closed?

The hairdressers were both their usual chatty selves. There were 2 other clients in (we were all 2m apart, and they were chatting to their stylists.

It just really surprised me. With the exception of the measures in place, it all just seemed really normal.

Our local Italian that we visit recently is a small quaint restaurant, we went when it was reopened and we had little contact with the staff.

It just seems so unfair that they have to close when hairdressers can stay open.

I agree OP. The rules are so random.

Stupid, isn't it ?

You can't wear masks whilst eating though?

Also, they wear visors for hair washing because there's water splashing around everywhere and may splash in their face. No risk of fluid splashes when cutting or drying your hair. They were doing it correctly.

Have you noticed how the government don't even claim to be following the science anymore? I guess it's because people started to ask for evidence, written arguments to support their position, and it doesn't exist.

You can't wear masks whilst eating though?

The only person near you whilst you're eating will be members of your household. Restaurant staff don't hang around tables once they've brought your food.

In many restaurants you’ll be within 2m of other tables is the problem for quite a long time with no masks on. You can have people from 2 households at a table where I am. Not sure if it’s the same everywhere.

And apparently hospitality does make much more of a difference to the R rate than close contact services.

In many restaurants you’ll be within 2m of other tables is the problem for quite a long time with no masks on.

After the first lockdown restaurants spent a lot of money ensuring they were safe, adequately spacing tables, even putting screens up between them.

There's no justification for shutting down compliant restaurants. In my area not one restaurant was found to be non compliant.

Because it's a load of horseshit

I think it’s because Basically booze is bad it reduces inhibitions and will lead to sd going out the window.

It’s easier to keep them all closed as they know business owners can’t police it and people can’t be trusted.

Because in a restaurant you have a whole room of people, talking, laughing, eating etc with their masks off. With tables of people from different households sitting together.

Whereas at the hairdressers you have a single person, facing away from the hairdresser. And everyone wears a mask, all the time.

It’s probably not just the booze although it certainly doesn’t help. Numbers went up a bit in NI after cafes and close contact services were allowed to open for one week. Pubs and licences restaurants weren’t allowed to open. That was the only thing that had changed unless the talk of Christmas mixing led to more people meeting up in private homes.

It’s all bollocks.I'm fed up of seeing responsible businesses like hairdressers, restaurants etc making a huge effort to keep themselves and customers safe but are being shafted by NS and her megalomaniac agenda. Just been dropped from Level 4 to Level 3. Woooo fucking hoooo.
I’m making my own assessment now with sensible precautions. I will be fucking shopping in Glasgow at the weekend so get that up you Nicola.

I might be biased in that I caught Covid from my colleague when we ate lunch together (followed all the rules). He had caught it from a friend the weekend before when he went out to eat with a group (COVID compliant restaurant). If his table of 8 (that was the max allowed at the time, France) 6 of them tested positive within a few days.

Anywhere that masks are removed and people are talking are high risk.

@miimblemomble

I might be biased in that I caught Covid from my colleague when we ate lunch together (followed all the rules). He had caught it from a friend the weekend before when he went out to eat with a group (COVID compliant restaurant). If his table of 8 (that was the max allowed at the time, France) 6 of them tested positive within a few days.

Anywhere that masks are removed and people are talking are high risk.

You don’t know for sure where you caught it though.

I thought restraunts/ pubs were the trade off for schools being open. There is no difference between them and hairdressers. That was just the sector that was the payment for schools.

Problem is that pointing out the inconsistencies is more likely to get hairdressers shut than restaurants open.

@miimblemomble

Because in a restaurant you have a whole room of people, talking, laughing, eating etc with their masks off. With tables of people from different households sitting together.

Whereas at the hairdressers you have a single person, facing away from the hairdresser. And everyone wears a mask, all the time.

This. Plus most people will spend a lot longer in a restaurant than a hairdresser (I know there will be some exceptions to that rule).

A few people flouted the rules saying that all 6 of them were from one household, when it was blatantly obvious they weren't and restaurant staff/owners didn't want confrontation so just accepted what they were told. Now, due to the actions of the few, everyone else suffers.

All hairdressers must be in a medical grade 2 AND either a visor or goggles

@Redwinestillfine

I thought restraunts/ pubs were the trade off for schools being open. There is no difference between them and hairdressers. That was just the sector that was the payment for schools.

There is a difference in that nobody needs to eat out, because we can all eat at home, but while we can go without a haircut, most of us can't do it at home.

@Badbadbunny

A few people flouted the rules saying that all 6 of them were from one household, when it was blatantly obvious they weren't and restaurant staff/owners didn't want confrontation so just accepted what they were told. Now, due to the actions of the few, everyone else suffers.

This is because most people want to eat out with friends rather than their whole family.

Surely it’s mostly the number of people in the room. The virus doesn’t drop dead at 2m, it just reduces the chance of getting it. There are some good animations/simulations showing how it spreads indoors.

If you were infectious and coughed at a restaurant it is likely to infect more people than if you coughed at the hairdresser.

they've been open where i live for some time. i was told it's because the hairdressers/barbers have some sanitization training and background.

It's because the rules don't make sense. They should re-open restaurants that are able to ensure social distancing between tables.