As coronavirus continues to dominate our headlines, it’s understandable that the illness will also have an impact on our day-to-day lives.

From people rushing out to panic-buy toilet roll to offices and trains emptying out as more and more of us begin to work from home, we’re all taking steps to ensure the illness doesn’t spread. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government, one of the most important things we can do is making sure we wash our hands frequently. “Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands,” states WHO on its website.

It’s no surprise then that people are being extra cautious about the things they touch; from door handles and elevator buttons to poles on the tube and even the kettle.

But what does this mean for nail salons - where the entire treatment involves placing your hands in another person’s and sitting within close proximity? As coronavirus continues to have an impact on our lives, I believe that local nails salons (among countless other industries, such as food and clothing) may see a major decline in sales due to the coronavirus.

Of course, it’s completely normal to have hygiene concerns. So, we spoke to different nail salons to find out exactly what they’re doing in the wake of coronavirus.

“We’re closely following the guidelines set out by the government and World Health Organisation to inform our actions and advise our salon partners accordingly,” said says Kei Kaji, CEO at Treatwell, an online beauty booking service that offers manicures at 2,905 salons across the UK. “The health, wellbeing and safety of our customers, team and salon partners - many of whom are small, independent businesses - is of paramount importance to us - today and every day.

“As the situation continues to develop, I wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you personally that we are doing everything in our power to protect and support both our customers and partners.”

As for the actual salons themselves, many are taking extra precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“Our health and safety operating procedures are industry leading. These include rigorous hygiene standards for the tools we use – with all metal tools sterilised to surgical standards in a hospital-grade, computer controlled autoclave machine,” nail salon Townhouse wrote in a statement.

“A customer-wide email outlined what actions we have taken, including therapists are now wearing face masks during treatments, therapists have and always will wear gloves during treatments and there will be an increase in the frequency of disinfecting all surfaces.

“We also ask that if you’re ill or have been told to self-isolate, you do not attend any appointments - whether booked on Treatwell or not.”

Nail salon DryBy added, “We are constantly monitoring if any members of our staff are showing symptoms similar to those of coronavirus. If our staff think they are experiencing any symptoms, we have asked that they do not come into work and seek medical help immediately.”

Meanwhile, Nails and Brows Mayfair is keeping note of where staff has travelled to recently. “Any member of staff returning from affected areas abroad – or those who have family members or housemates returning from these regions recently– will automatically be asked to self-quarantine for fourteen days,” the salon said in a statement. Despite these precautions, Nails and Brows Mayfair is encouraging clients to pay via card instead of cash, to keep the experience as contact-free as possible.

It’s recommended that you avoid visiting the nail salon. Additionally, you should put all other non-essential appointments on hold - or cancel them altogether. While this isn’t an ideal solution for independent businesses, many people are turning to gift cards to help.

Contact your local salon to see if they offer gift cards or vouchers. By doing this, the salon can benefit from your money now and you can use the voucher/gift card when you’re comfortable with visiting the salon. If you do feel slightly panicked about going outside, here are four techniques to help you feel calm.

Main image: Unsplash