CDC On Masks In Salons

Two hair stylists develop symptoms for COVID-19.

They keep working regardless … with 100+ clients.

The CDC says what happened next illustrates the power of wearing masks.

Backstory

• New study focuses on transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 in a hair salon in Springfield, Missouri.
• Stylist A developed respiratory symptoms. She took a COVID-19 test on day 6 of her illness but kept working with clients for 8 days, when her test came back positive.
• Stylist B developed symptoms, and worked for 5 days before self-isolating and testing positive 2 days later.

What Happened

• 139 clients, ranging from 21 to 93-years-old, were exposed to the two stylists.
• Both stylists wore masks throughout the 15-45 minute appointments, as did nearly all of the clients.
• No clients reported COVID-19 symptoms in the following weeks. About half agreed to be officially tested – zero tested positive for SARS-COV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).

Something To Consider

While both stylists wore masks *during* client appointments, they did not wear masks *between* appointments when interacting with each other.

• Stylist A’s contacts developed symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 (her husband, daughter, son-in-law and roommate).
• Stylist B’s contacts did not develop symptoms.

Why This Matters?

• As states start to “shut down” their economies during an increase in infections, this new report suggests masks may help “to reduce the impact and magnitude of additional waves of COVID-19” according to the CDC.
• However, the CDC notes scientists don’t fully understand how SARS-COV-2 is transmitted & researchers did not track clients who interacted with stylists BEFORE symptoms.

Important: Not all clients had on the same masks – some had cloth, other had medical masks. The stylists all wore cloth masks.