Hair stylist in Missouri potentially exposed 91 people to coronavirus after coming to work for eight days while sick with symptoms

A hair stylist in Missouri has potentially exposed 91 people to coronavirus after showing up to work sick and symptomatic for eight days, health officials said.

The stylist, who has not been identified, worked shifts at the Great Clips in Springfield from May 8 to May 12 after traveling to another part of Missouri with a higher intensity of cases.

While both the stylist and the clients wore masks, and the business kept detailed records that allowed contact tracers to identify the clients, health officials expressed frustration with the situation.

'This scenario is well within the ability of our staff to contact trace and contain. But I'm going to be honest with you, we can't have many more of these,' said Clay Goddard, director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. 'We can't make this a regular habit, or our capability as a community will be strained.'

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Clay Goddard, director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, announced the potential exposures on Friday

Barbershops and hair salons were allowed to reopen in Missouri on May 4.

Officials say that the hair stylist had 84 clients during the eight days, and potentially exposed another seven coworkers.

'The 84 clients potentially directly exposed will be notified by the Health Department and be offered testing, as will seven coworkers,' the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said in a statement. 

'It is the hope of the department that because face coverings were worn throughout this exposure timeline, no additional cases will result.' 

The department said that the stylist also visited a fitness center, Dairy Queen and Walmart while potentially contagious.

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A stylist at this Great Clips in Springfield worked for eight days while sick and symptomatic

It's unclear exactly when the stylist was infected, but the person had just returned from a trip elsewhere in Missouri with a high concentration of cases.

Goddard said he was pleased with the deep cleaning measures taken by Great Clips, adding that he now considers the business safe.

Greene County, where Springfield is located, has seen a low incidence of COVID-19, with 121 confirmed cases and seven deaths.

That is the equivalent to one confirmed case for every 2,422 residents, compared to a hotspot like New York City, where the number is 1 in 42.