Boston Hair Salon Wants Nothing to Do with Anyone Who’s Been ‘Anywhere Near West Africa’
Fears about Ebola spreading to Boston now could interrupt your haircut appointments.
Aveda El Coco International Salon, located near Faneuil Hall, posted a sign on its door asking visitors to inform salon workers if they have “traveled anywhere near West Africa.’’
Aveda salon owner George Kelloyan told Boston.com that he put the sign outside his shop on Friday to assure worried customers that they were taking precautions.
“We’re concerned,’’ he said. “We don’t want to transfer anything to anyone if they’ve traveled to West Africa.’’
Anne Jarek noticed the sign at around 7:30 on Saturday morning and thought it was “really unnecessary,’’ she told Boston.com.
“I’m of the opinion that there is a lot of fear mongering going on,’’ she said. “[The sign] really rubbed me the wrong way.’’
But Kelloyan noted that Faneuil Hall attracts tourists “from all over the place,’’ and said he was just being cautious.
“I don’t think it’s necessary, just a precaution to let our clients know,’’ he said.
When asked what he would do if someone did admit to visiting near West Africa, Kelloyan said he would call the Center for Disease Control.
The sign is the latest evidence of what many call overreactions to the threat of Ebola, which can only be spread by direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person. On Saturday, a schoolboard in Maine placed a teacher on paid leave after traveling to Dallas to attend an educational conference. Two Dallas nurses contracted Ebola after treating an Ebola patient who traveled from Liberia to the United States. That man, Thomas Eric Duncan, died. Both nurses are currently hospitalized while undergoing treatment.
There have been no reported cases of Ebola in Massachusetts or Maine.
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