147 People Potentially Exposed to COVID-19 After Two Hairstylists Work While Symptomatic

147 clients and staff at a Great Clips hair salon in Springfield, Missouri were potentially exposed to COVID-19 by two hairstylists who worked while symptomatic last week.

KY3 reports: “Seven co-workers and 84 clients were potentially directly exposed from the first case announced Friday, according to the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. The health department says 56 clients were potentially directly exposed by the second case. These clients will be notified by the health officials and be offered testing.”

The Guardian reports: “Because the stylist and the customers wore face coverings, health officials said on Friday, they hoped the interactions would lead to ‘no additional cases’. Those potentially exposed would be contacted and offered testing, officials said. The potential exposures started little more than a week after Missouri allowed salons to reopen.”

Said Clay Goddard, director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, at a presser about the first exposure incident: “I’m very frustrated to be up here. And maybe more so, I’m disappointed. I’m going to be honest with you: We can’t have many more of these. “We can’t make this a regular habit or our capabilities as a community will be strained.”