There was celebration in the hair as hairdressers finally opened across NSW.
Queues stretched across shopping centres as salons around their state extended opening hours to deal with a surge in hirsute customers.
Shaggy shoppers rushed to hairdressers and barbers after 106 days without a professional trim.
Some went to the extreme, many cutting their long hair super short. But, sadly for some, the mullet is still king.
Many opted for the 80s revival of the style that screams business at the front, but party at the back.
Just Cuts CEO Amber Mannning said her team had just ticked over 5000 cuts in one day – triple that of a normal day.
“We didn’t know what to expect. It’s a rainy day which normally means shopping centres can be quiet… but it did not deter people from coming in,” she told AAP on Monday.
She said the business did as much as it could with their 274 fully vaccinated staff, but had some staff that were unable to get access to their second or even first jabs.
“It’s a difficult time, especially when we’ve had regional salons open and close with the lockdowns,” she said.
“So last week, in Singleton for instance, we had unvaccinated staff and clients who could come in.
“But a week later and neither the unvaccinated staff or clients can come in. It’s a bizarre world.”
Ms Manning said salons expected to be busy for at least another two to three weeks before a return to normality.
“We’re coming in early and working late just to keep up with demand,” she said.
Phones are expected to continue to ring off the hook.
The long and short of it:
* Salons closed for 106 days
* As NSW battled almost 63,000 cases and almost 440 deaths, stay-at-home orders were lifted across NSW on Monday, after the state last week achieved 70 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage, the trigger for easing restrictions.
* Hairdressers are allowed five clients in the salon at one time, and all must be fully vaccinated.
AAP
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