Famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warns more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser.
The hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19.
Mr Bailey told Daily Mail Australia the ramifications of one staff member testing positive to Covid 19 was 'unbelievable'.
'We have over 1,000 customers and staff this has affected… who have to isolate,' he said.
It is one of two super-spreader events in Sydney that could bring the Harbour City to its knees with thousands of residents and workers isolating after being exposed to the highly-infectious Delta variant.
Famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warns more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser
The hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19
It is one of two super-spreader events in Sydney that could bring the Harbour City to its knees with thousands of residents and workers isolating after being exposed to the highly-infectious Delta variant
The other event was a dinner on Monday night at Christo's Pizzeria in the city's trendy inner-eastern suburb of Paddington where NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall was infected by another customer, and then attended a National Party Budget dinner on Tuesday night in Parliament House.
As Joh Bailey's salon underwent a deep clean on Thursday – which he described as scenes resembling the Met Gala – Mr Bailey said the focus was on staff and customer health.
'We are allowed to re-open, of course, but because all or most of our staff have to isolate - that's the problem we have right now.'
NSW Health officials contacted the salon on Wednesday morning to alert them to the positive case, and management closed the doors immediately.
The hairdresser, who commuted from the city's west for work each morning, has since infected three customers - with hundreds of others in isolation with fears it could lead to a massive outbreak.
'We wish to express our deepest gratitude to NSW Health for their incredible efficiency and support during the ongoing Covid-19 NSW outbreak,' Mr Bailey wrote on Instagram.
As the salon underwent a deep clean on Thursday – which he described as scenes resembling the Met Gala – Mr Bailey said the focus was on staff and customer health
Cleaners prepare their equipment before entering the salon, which will be closed until further notice
Australian hairdressing icon Joh Bailey said the scene at his flagship salon in Double Bay was like something out of the Met Gala as officials scrambled to conduct a deep clean
'In light of this, our Double Bay salon will be temporarily closed for deep cleaning and we will advise our re-opening date in due course.
'An enormous thank you to our valued clients and community who have reached out with messages and support of kindness.
'It is appreciated so much and we in turn wish everyone to remain safe, healthy and supported during this challenging global pandemic.'
The Double Bay salon has about 10 hairdressers working at any given time, plus beauticians and support staff.
Mr Marshall and three fellow Nationals were in attendance at the Paddington pizzeria from 5:55pm to 8:30pm on Monday, the evening before the state's budget announcement.
Mr Marshall is believed to have contracted the virus from a diner, before he was in attendance at the state parliament building on Macquarie Street the next day.
His constituents Trevor Khan, Steph Cooke and Ben Franklin are also in isolation.
Mr Marshall then attended the post-budget Nationals party dinner, which was attended by a variety of senior officials including the NSW Premier, who confirmed she tested negative on Thursday.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard has also tested negative to the virus.
Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce was absent from the beginning of question time on Thursday afternoon after it was believed he was a close contact of Mr Marshall's.
Mr Joyce returned to parliament later Thursday and confirmed after meeting with health officials he was not a close contact and was able to return to work.
Many attendees at the dinner on Monday June 21 were present in state parliament on Tuesday June 22.
MPs who were at Parliament House on Tuesday or Wednesday have been told by the NSW Department of Parliamentary Services to self-isolate until told otherwise.
Parliament House on Macquarie Street in Sydney's CBD has been listed as a high-exposure site after NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall tested positive
Mr Marshall is believed to have contracted the virus from a diner, before he was in attendance at the state parliament building on Macquarie Street the next day
A Nationals dinner at Christo's Pizzeria in Paddington is believed to be the catalyst for the superspreader event, with four MPs and their staff
