Madurai
After a gap of many weeks, salons in rural areas of Madurai district were opened on Tuesday.
M. Venkateswaran, who opened his shop in Matharai village of Usilampatti, said that since March 24 his shop has been closed, resulting in loss of his only source of income.
“It is a big relief to finally open the shop. I had around eight customers on Tuesday and earned a decent income after a long time,” he said.
But, it was practically difficult to avoid physical contact while I give a haircut or shave the customers, he added. “Still, I stood as far as possible to ensure that there was at least one foot distance between me and the customer,” he said.
As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, M. Irulappan, another barber from Thuvariman village, said that he disinfected the shop after every time a customer left the shop. “I also allowed only one customer inside the shop at a time. All customers were asked to wash their hands before entering the shop. Also, I told them it is mandatory to wear face masks before entering the shop,” he said.
M. Prasanth, who opened his salon in Oomachikulam, said that he had 10 towels and ensured that each towel was used only for one customer. “After the end of each day, I will thoroughly wash them using disinfectants,” he said.
He also said that he had instructed his customers that he would not give a shave for his customers. “If a customer wants a shaving, then he has to remove his face mask, which is risky. After I heard cases about barbers testing positive for COVID-19, I am taking necessary safety precautions,” he added.