On Monday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, alongside Prime Minister Robert Abela and Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci, announced that restaurants, hairdressers, beauty salons and nail salons would be allowed to reopen from 22nd May.

In accordance with the announcement, Minister Fearne’s office has issued an official set of guidelines under which hair salons and barbers will be allowed to operate.

Mandatory conditions to be observed by Hair Salons and Barbers:

• Ensure that maximum capacity of clients inside the salon at any one time is one person per 10 square metres, excluding staff.
• Perspex barriers should be fitted in reception areas (two metres from the floor).
• Workstations/styling chairs must be kept at a minimum distance of two metres from each other or separated by a Perspex barrier which is two metres high. These barriers must be cleaned properly after every client (see section salon environment).

• Hand sanitizers must be made available at the reception area and near all workstations for employee and client use (sanitizers with sensors are recommended).
• Clients (and suppliers) must wear a mask (covering mouth, nose and chin) or visor at all times unless instructed otherwise by the service provider due to the treatment process.
• Staff should wear a surgical or cotton mask or visor when providing a service to a client
• Shaving and restyling of beards is prohibited.

Guidelines were also issued for ‘Shop/Salon administration’ under the same document. The guidelines include a right of refusal for those visibly unwell or with respiratory symptoms, ensuring capacity of one person per 10 square metres and encouragement of taking appointments over the phone to avoid people entering shops unnecessarily.

Advice is also issued on maintaining good hygiene practices, how to communicate with clients and the use of personal protective equipment.

The full document can be found here.