The Corona Do

Covid-19 has revived a spiky hairstyle that’s a visual reminder of the virus

- Lavern De Vries

When salons in South Africa closed to curb the spread of the killer coronavirus, many were left tearing their hair out, wondering what to do with their crowns.

Some took matters into their own hands, trimming their relaxed ends, braiding their hair or shaving it off completely.

In Kenya, where salons have been operating under strict conditions, hairdresser Sharon Refa has erected a makeshift shop beside a busy road in the township of Kibera, Nairobi.

Sharon’s salon recently came under the spotlight when she started braiding children’s hair in a ’do dubbed the coronavirus hairstyle.

The hairdo has taken the country by storm because of its similarity to the virus’ crown of club-shaped spikes.

The coronavirus had claimed 152 lives in the east African country at the time of going to print, with about 7 000 infections, but due to a shortage of testing equipment, experts fear the real number of cases could be higher.