- Title: Iraqi barber-on-demand delivers lockdown haircuts at home
- Date: 2nd July 2020
- Summary: NAJAF, IRAQ (JUNE 30, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF OWNER OF MEN'S HAIR SALON "KING OF BARBERS", HASSANEIN HAMID, STANDING IN HIS SHOP AND GETTING INTO A PROTECTIVE SUIT HAMID'S REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR AS HE ZIPS UP SUIT HAMID WEARING PROTECTIVE SUIT, FACE MASK AND FACE SHIELD PUTTING ON GLOVES VARIOUS OF HAMID DISINFECTING BARBER TOOLS HAMID PUTTING TOOLS IN A SMALL SUITCASE AND CLOSING IT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF HAIR SALON "KING OF BARBERS", HASSANEIN HAMID, SAYING: "Work has come to a halt and we don't know when the coronavirus pandemic will stop. So I took the necessary steps to visit my customers at home and cut their hair there. I pitched the idea to some of my customers who loved it. I started to prepare my gear, medical and protective equipment, disinfectants, my barber tools." HAMID IN FULL PROTECTIVE SUIT GETTING INTO HIS CAR HAMID DRIVING HIS CAR THROUGH LARGELY EMPTY ROAD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF HAIR SALON "KING OF BARBERS", HASSANEIN HAMID, SAYING: "The situation [full lockdown] doesn't allow us to be out in the street. I mostly work during the day and go home before it gets dark. We stop working after the evening prayer, there are more controls at night because of the curfews. Most roads are closed, there are not many open roads." HAMID DRIVING HIS CAR THROUGH LARGELY EMPTY ROAD HAMID CARRYING SUITCASE WALKING THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL STREET HAMID STANDING ON HIS CUSTOMER'S DOORSTEP / SHAKING HIS HAND / ENTERING THE HOUSE VARIOUS OF HAMID PREPARING AND DISINFECTING HIS TOOLS VARIOUS OF HAMID WITH CUSTOMER, GHAITH AWADI IN HIS LIVING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CUSTOMER OF "DELIVERY BARBER" SERVICE, GHAITH AWADI, SAYING: "It's been around two weeks that I didn't get a haircut because of the circumstances." VARIOUS OF HAMID SPRAYING SCISSORS WITH DISINFECTANT AND SETTING FIRE TO THE SCISSORS WHILE AWADI WATCHES / HAMID REMOVING MASK AND PUTTING IT BACK ON SCISSORS TRIMMING AWADI'S BEARD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CUSTOMER OF "DELIVERY BARBER" SERVICE, GHAITH AWADI, SAYING: "It is such a nice feeling to have the barber come to your home and take care of you. Of course, it is strange to see him dressed like this but then it makes me feel safe. Even if he has the virus, I feel safe and comfortable." VARIOUS OF HAMID SHAVING AWADI'S HAIR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF HAIR SALON "KING OF BARBERS", HASSANEIN HAMID, SAYING: "After I finish with my customers and see the smile on their face, I relax. It makes me feel good to slowly get back to work. I hope that the crisis will recede after all the difficulties we went through." HAMID BLOW DRYING AWADI'S HAIR AWADI USING MIRROR TO ADJUST BEARD
- Embargoed: 16th July 2020 14:06
- Keywords: Barber COVID-19 Coronavirus Delivery service Haircut Iraq Lockdown Najaf
- Location: NAJAF, IRAQ
- City: NAJAF, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001CL4ABF9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Zipping up his full protective suit, Iraqi barber Hassanein Hamid is getting ready to brave both the coronavirus and the curfews that are keeping Najaf's streets empty and barber shops shut.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, Hamid could barely keep his shop open for long, and when a full lockdown was imposed on the city of Najaf on June 26 to curb the spread of the coronavirus, he stopped receiving customers altogether.
After pitching the idea to some of his regular customers, he decided to launch a delivery service, visiting customers at home where he can cut their hair.
Scared to contract the virus while at work, Hamid adopted strict preventive measures. He wears a full protective suit and disinfects his tools before, during and after each haircut.
Gheith Awadi, one if his customers, said he was enjoying his haircut after spending two weeks without a shave, adding that he felt reassured by all the precautions taken by the barber.
Hamid said that despite the hassle he goes through to make sure the haircut is safe, he enjoys the feeling of gradually getting back to work.
So far, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed 2,050 lives and infected 51,524 people in Iraq, according to official figures issued by Iraqi health authorities on July 1.
(Production: Ahmed Saeed, Charlotte Bruneau, Mohammed Katfan) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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