A Great Clip hair salon in Springfield, Missouri, has become a potential hot spot of COVID-19 transmission after two hairstylists came into work while symptomatic, potentially exposing more than 140 people to the virus according to local reports. Springfield-Greene County Health Department director Clay Goddard said at a press conference Friday that a Great Clip Stylist worked eight days between May 12 and May 20, during which stylist came into contact with 84 clients and seven co-workers while showing symptoms. On Saturday, the health department said in a statement that a second stylist had tested positive for the coronavirus and may have exposed an additional 56 clients.
The stylist experienced "very mild symptoms" over five days between May 16 and May 29 but was deemed "potentially infectious" by the health department. Customers and employees who were potentially exposed will be notified and offered testing, but those who did not have close contact with the stylist are believed to be at very low risk of contacting the virus. In late April, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced that some businesses, including hair salons, would be allowed to reopen. Public-health experts have repeatedly warned that lifting lockdown too early could lead to more waves of coronavirus transmission which can lead to more trouble for the state and country.