Revealed: Barbers, nail bars and beauty salons could have stayed open during lockdown

Hairdressers, waxers and manicurists may have been unfairly forced to close after Government scientists concluded there is a lack of evidence they raise the risk of catching Covid.

Studies analysing the risk of transmission in hospitality, retail and leisure reveal there was 'no statistical evidence' that personal care settings were associated with an increased risk of catching the virus.

The paper, which is a summary of the 'best available evidence', found all clusters in barbers and hairdressers were 'relatively small'.

And it points out that any transmission linked to the setting may 'go beyond the physical venue' and be the result of other interactions such as travel.

The paper broke down different events and activities alongside their relative risks.

The analysis focused on four separate studies which were carried out between August and September last year.

The paper reads: 'The four studies provided no statistical evidence that personal care settings were associated with increased odds of becoming a Covid-19 case.'

Recurring lockdowns hit the beauty industry hard over the last year, with expensive rent prices forcing some to shut their doors for good.

According to the Fellowship for British Hairdressing, as many as 5,000 of the sector's 40,000 salons have closed their doors permanently.