The Sydney socialites in lockdown after visiting celebrity hairdresser Joh Bailey’s salon

A string of high-profile Sydney socialites have found themselves in isolation after being exposed to Covid-19 while at the salon of celebrity hairdresser Joh Bailey.

Bailey warned earlier in the week more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser. 

Dr Kerry Chant announced on Friday at least three staff members were working while infectious at the salon and two clients had since tested positive with more cases expected in the coming days.

‘I expect more cases to be detected over the coming days and I’m urging all clients and staff of Joh Bailey between June 15 and 23 to be tested and maintain quarantine as directed by NSW Health,’ she said.

Joh Bailey warned earlier in the week more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser.

Since the news surfaced, Bailey and other high-profile customers known as the ‘Bailey girls’ have been confined to their homes including Phoebe Burgess, charity fundraiser queen Skye Leckie and PR guru Sally Burleigh.

Ms Burgess – who is isolating at her Bowral property alongside her daughter Poppy and son Billy – visited Joh Bailey on June 22, days after it was exposed to the virus.

‘Isolating @ home for the next couple of weeks, regardless of yesterday’s Covid test (no results as yet),’ she shared on Instagram on Friday. 

‘I’ve done my research about contact areas in Sydney and whilst I wasn’t at the Double Bay salon during the close contact timings, I chose to get tested and isolate as soon as possible.’ 

Phoebe also revealed that her four-year-old daughter, Poppy, whom she shares with ex-NRL star Sam Burgess was also tested. 

Skye Leckie is carrying out her quarantine in the ‘West Wing’ of her Southern Highlands property along with her adult son Harry,

Businesswoman and mother-of-two Ellie Aitken was able to escape isolation having visited the salon on Wednesday afternoon before the initial exposure period began

Wealthy socialite Skye Leckie is carrying out her quarantine in the ‘West Wing’ of her Southern Highlands property along with her adult son Harry, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Mrs Leckie, known for raising millions for charities around Australia and married to former Nine boss David Leckie, visited the hairdresser during the exposure period and returned a negative result on Friday night.

Ms Burleigh, who has been a household name in the public relations industry for 25 years, was also caught at the salon during the exposure time and has too been plunged into isolation.

Businesswoman and mother-of-two Ellie Aitken was able to escape isolation having visited the salon on Wednesday afternoon before the initial exposure period began.

She and her family made it into Queensland before the borders closed on Thursday night and met all the Covid-19 restrictions enforced by the Sunshine State.

Ms Aitken told the publication it was a ‘very close shave’, but stressed her family had followed all the rules and had avoided the Waverley area.

She has also been vaccinated but said with Sydney’s current lockdown restrictions she may be ‘stranded’ at the Marriott hotel in Surfers Paradise. 

A group of up to 20 people are understood to have attended the salon before going to a well-known family’s bar mitzvah on Friday night, according to Fairfax.

Locked down: Phoebe Burgess (pictured) is in isolation after getting tested for Covid-19 following a recent visit to Joh Bailey hair salon. On Friday, the 32-year old appeared to be taking it all in her stride as she shared a photo in which she posed with her children

It was initially revealed that one of the infected hairdressers, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19.

But in another worrying development on Thursday night, NSW Health announced that the salon had been exposed to coronavirus for nine full days – from the moment it opened to the second it closed – between June 15 and June 23.  

The salon underwent a deep clean and 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.’

Mr Bailey told the Sydney Morning Herald the outbreak showed just how vulnerable businesses were – even if they followed all the rules. 

‘We have been doing everything right. We put up screens around the wash basins, made everyone check in, wore masks, sanitising stations,’ he said.

The New South Wales chief health officer has warned more Covid-19 cases are likely to be connected to a Sydney hairdresser after three workers tested positive (pictured, Joh Bailey at Double Bay)

Mr Bailey is one of Australia’s most sought-after hairdressers who has been at the top of his game for three decades.

His client list that reads like a who’s-who of TV stars, socialites, politicians, business elite – and once even gave Princess Diana a makeover on her seminal 1983 Australian tour.

They including former former Studio 10 host Kerri-Anne Kennerley, and actresses Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista, Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, and Judy Davis. 

Mr Bailey said 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.

Dr Chant said health authorities were concerned about the number of people who had been potentially exposed. 

‘What we’re concerned is the over 900 clients that attended, or potentially are contacts may acquire the infection,’ she said.

‘Now, we have reached out to those individuals and what I’m hoping is that when we see the cases over coming days, they’re all in isolation.’  

It comes as millions of Sydney-siders begin their first day of lockdown after stay-at-home orders were given to those who live or work in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney.

The orders began at 11.59pm on Friday and will continue for a week as the latest outbreak grew to 65 infections on Friday.  

Safety first! Phoebe explained that she decided to get tested immediately after arriving back to the Southern Highlands following a 48 hour trip to COVID-infected Sydney