Economies across the globe strategizing how to reopen amid COVID-19
Benjamin Hall reports from London with how other countries are planning to get back to work.
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Danes rushed to hair salons and barbershops Monday to end a monthlong nightmare of bad hair after some businesses reopened in Denmark’s latest step to loosen coronavirus restrictions.
Danish citizens wasted no time booking appointments for haircuts or visiting other shops Monday, including tattoo parlors, physiotherapists, dentists and others.
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"We are crazy busy. I mean fully booked for the next two weeks," Phil Olander, owner of Phil's Barber in central Copenhagen, told the BBC.
Christel Lerche cuts a customer's hair at Hot N Tot Hairdressers in Bagsvaerd on Monday after Denmark began reopening hair salons, dentists, physiotherapists, tattoo parlors and driving schools, among others that were shut down during the pandemic. (Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
The businesses that have reopened must follow new health guidelines, with hairdressers required to clean and sanitize their stations and equipment between customers.
DENMARK'S CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL AS GOVERNMENT PLANS TO FURTHER EASE CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS
“I want to take this opportunity to say to people who actually didn’t cut their hair at home - thank you very much,” Erik Bjornsson, a hairdresser at Street Cut salon in downtown Copenhagen, told Reuters.
Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik shared before and after photos of his visit to the barber, and thanked his countrymen for cooperating with the strict lockdown.
“I am probably not the only one who has been to a hairdresser today,” he wrote in Danish. “Fortunately, it is now possible for hairdressers and other smaller companies and stores to stay open on top of a long shutdown.”
He added: “I want to thank everyone for being so readily prepared and for helping keep the wheels going for a period that requires a lot of us all.”
Janni Rost the owner of Fair Tattoo works on her first client after reopening her parlor in Copenhagen on Monday. (Niels Christian Vilmann/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
One of the first countries in Europe to impose a lockdown, Denmark is reopening businesses a week after some schools resumed classes. Zoological gardens and animal parks said they can reopen May 1.
As of Tuesday, Denmark had 7,891 confirmed coronavirus cases and 370 deaths.
While early measures appear to have slowed the spread of the disease, the government is implementing strict guidelines to test anyone who has been or will be hospitalized for more than one day with or without COVID-19 symptoms. Staff and residents at retirement homes, and facilities for people with mental health issues will also require testing.
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“In this situation, it is very important that there is increased awareness to avoid infection in the population,” the Danish Health Authority said. “The spread of infection has been greatly reduced, and we have therefore started to open up the society gradually.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.