From next week people in Wales will be able to attend the barber or hairdresser for the first time in nearly three months.
This is part of an easing of restrictions that will see the "stay home" rules end but the introduction of a "stay local" rule which will be broadly considered to mean travel within five miles. And while many people will be desperate for a haircut, there are questions being asked about why hairdressers are being prioritised over other parts of the economy like gyms or non-essential retail, and schools. There is also the question of why hairdressers are being give priority over places such as nail bars.
In an interview with WalesOnline today, First Minister Mark Drakeford said it was because they were considered very low risk.
"This is because we are trying to start with the safest things first," he said. "We want it to reopen Welsh businesses and get life back to more normality."
Mr Drakeford added that he wanted to stick to the same order of reopening that worked in the summer.
He said: "We are also trying to follow the pattern as we did last year because that pattern was successful. This is exactly what we did last year, we opened hairdressers and barbers first and then had a couple of weeks to make sure that that was going well and we were not seeing the virus back in circulation. Then other close contact services will able to resume from 12 of April providing these first steps go well."
This is also the date by which all children will be back in school. Younger children are already back, and from Monday, March 15 all primary pupils and secondary school pupils in qualifications years who are due to take GCSEs and and A-levels this summer will return. Schools will also have the flexibility to bring year 10 and 12 learners back and more learners will return to colleges.
“That is the safe way to do it, that is what we have agreed with our teaching unions and local education authorities,” Mr Drakeford said.
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The First Minister added that there was evidence that hairdressing was lower risk that other close contact services.
He said: "There is evidence that it is less risky to be in a hairdresser's than other close contact services because the person is standing behind you. We are not breathing towards each other and we know that when people are in face-to-face contact then the chances of the virus passing between people is greater.
"With the Kent variant, it could be 70% more risky than it was this time last year. Starting with the things with the least risk and building on that is how we will be doing it."
You can read the full interview with the First Minister here and see the full lockdown rule changes and dates here.
