Warning to Red States: Open Up at Your Peril

A Missouri hairstylist who had COVID-19 symptoms and tested positive for the disease served 84 clients over eight days earlier this month after Missouri re-opened businesses,  according to a local health department.  A day later, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department announced that a second hairstylist at the salon tested positive for COVID-19. The second person reportedly worked five days while experiencing mild symptoms, potentially exposing 56 clients to the virus.

With the second confirmed case, the total number of clients who were potentially exposed to the virus after the salon re-opened is 140.  The second hairstylist tested positive for COVID-19 only after they were alerted by the health department of possible exposure due to the first stylist testing positive.

The health department said it would notify and offer testing to the 140 clients who have been potentially exposed, as well as at least six other coworkers.  The hairstylists and their clients were all wearing face coverings, which could potentially limit the exposure.

The first stylist also visited a gym several times while infectious, as well as a Dairy Queen and Walmart, the health department said. Identifying those who had come into contact with the two hairstylists was possible thanks to the salon’s impeccable records, Clay Goddard, director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said.  However, more incidents like this could overwhelm the department’s capacity to identify the origin of infections.

“I’m going to be honest with you: We can’t have many more of these,” Goddard said. “We can’t make this a regular habit or our capabilities as a community will be strained.”

There have been more than 11,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Missouri and at least 685 deaths.  Republican Governor Mike Parson allowed the state’s stay-at-home order to expire on May 3. Except for St. Louis county, all businesses in Missouri, including movie theaters and concert venues, were allowed to reopen beginning May 4 as long as they implemented certain social distancing measures.  Thankfully, movie theaters have wisely decided to remain closed.