As part of the CDC’s recommendations to prevent the passage of the virus, it is encouraged to stand no closer than six-feet away from another person “for a prolonged period of time.”
In the case of these beauty treatments, even if a manicurist, hairstylist or facialist is wearing gloves or a mask, close physical contact is inevitably required.
“I would not recommend going to any of those appointments because they’re not in keeping with social distancing,” said Dr. Jeff Kwong, a scientist at Public Health Ontario and associate director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto.
“I know others may feel differently, but they are not essential. We’re talking about a crisis situation and we all have to do our part.”
Kwong said “not looking one’s best” is a small and temporary sacrifice for the greater good of society.
“People need to consider whether the necessity of the appointment or trip to the overrides the risk of being in public,” Norton says. “That is a personal decision, but social distancing is a wise move for now.”
That’s especially the case considering what healthcare workers would have to deal with if the local epidemic grows too large too quickly for the healthcare system to manage because some people are not practising social distancing, Kwong said.
If you’re wary of a salon’s hygiene practices, Stephen Hoption Cann recommends calling ahead to “determine how well they are cleaning surfaces and ensuring no sick employees are coming to work.”
“These places are susceptible to spread if appropriate practices are not in place,” said Hoption Cann, a clinical professor in the school of population and public health at the University of British Columbia.
