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SINGAPORE – Hairdressers and hair salons saw spirited deals on Tuesday (May 12) morning when customers queued to trim their furry manes after these venues were forced to close for nearly three weeks.
A line of more than 10 people was seen waiting outside Snip Avenue at Bishan Street 13, while some of the other rooms in the neighborhood told The Straits Times that repeat customers had called to make appointments as soon as they were announced that the barber shops could reopen.
Hairdressers are among a group of companies that are allowed to reopen after the closing since April 22, subject to various restrictions.
These restrictions include the use of a government-backed SafeEntry digital registration system to record all entrances and exits, including employees and visitors, for tracking digital contacts.
For example, SafeEntry should be installed in hair salons and barber shops, as people are likely to be in close quarters for long periods of time.
Also, beauty salons can only provide basic haircut services, which is a bit of concern for Ms. J. J. Loke, 47, manager of De What’s Beauty and Salon.
Despite the fact that regulars have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of their store, Ms. Lok said, “There will be limited income from just washing and cutting your hair.”
Other companies that may reopen include cake and dessert shops, laundry services, TCM salons, as well as home food businesses.
At Clementi Avenue 2, two TCM rooms saw a steady stream of repeat customers, but the two companies worked a little differently: They sold herbs through door openings, rather than allowing customers to enter the store.
Ms. Yang, who works at the Ban Joo Tong Medical Salon, said this is a better way to handle the crowd, which is mostly made up of vulnerable older people. “Of course, this could affect our business, but at this point, if we all do our part, we won’t have to worry as much,” he said.
Wan Seng Medical Hall also had a similar idea, but will allow certain people to enter the store only if they are buying a large number of products.
A retiree who wished to be known only as Xie said he is in favor of the measures. “I think it is good that they are handling the crowd this way. I went down to stock up on medicine because I am very afraid of the virus,” he said.
For popular household food companies, demand has been so high that there is concern that they may not be able to meet demand.
Ms. Anisah Shahab, 27, who heads Halwa Bakes, said she received an increase in orders, particularly during the days leading up to Hari Raya at the end of the month. “I would say demand is even more than I can meet. The next few weeks are going to be very busy for me to fulfill orders,” he said.
Ms. Adeline Tan, 23, of Deebakes, said she is happy to be able to resume her business as she wants to contribute some income to the home. She said, “It doesn’t feel great to be the only one in her family who doesn’t work. I felt so useless, so I was looking forward to baking again and earning some income.”
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