At Adeline Inc. hair salon and the Peach Tattoo shop in Duluth, the staff is taking COVID safety precautions a step further. 

They are one of the first businesses in the Northland to publicly announce they’ll require customers to be boosted as well as fully vaccinated against the virus.

The policy will take effect in 2022.

“We have had a vaccine requirement since July of 2021,” said Adeline Wright, Adeline Inc. and Rainbow Collaborative President.

According to Wright, due to the nature of their work, precautions are a must.

“We see an average of 80 clients a week here, and we have to be in really close proximity with them,” said Wright. 

Before their patrons can enter the building, staff check to see their vaccine status either electronically or physically.

For the staff, they’ve seen first hand the toll COVID can take. “The reason we put this in place is that we’ve all had Covid. I had long covid for 18 months,” said Wright. 

Owner Adeline Wright said she still suffers from long-term covid symptoms, something she doesn’t wish on anyone else.

“I don’t want to risk exposing any of my customers or my community at large,” said Wright.

According to Public Health Supervisor for Saint Louis County, Steven Leslie, steps like this are important, as the covid risk could continue to increase in the new year. “Our positivity rate is still high. We’re in that highly transmissible area in our county. Your best defense is going to be the vaccine and booster,” said Leslie.

According to Leslie, it’s a defense that could be more necessary than ever in 2022.

“This new omicron variant, with how that looks with transmissibility, it could get worse,” said Leslie.

To watch the video version of this story and read related reports, follow this link to the KBJR-TV website. https://www.kbjr6.com/2021/12/24/northland-business-will-require-booster-shots-customers-2022/