The government has published the ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021’ setting out the roadmap out of the current lockdown for England.
- HANDS - Wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds.
- FACE - Wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
- SPACE - Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors).
What you can and can’t do
England is still in a national lockdown. You must still stay at home, leaving only where permitted by law, and follow the rules in this guidance.
From 8th March, some of the rules on what you can and cannot do will be changing:
- You will be allowed to spend time in outdoor public spaces for recreation on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.
This means you can sit down for a drink or picnic. You must continue to maintain social distance from those outside your household. This is in addition to outdoor exercise, which is already permitted.
- Pupils and students in all schools and Further Education settings will be able to return to face to-face education.Date: 24th February 2021
- Wraparound childcare can reopen and other children’s activities can restart for all children where it is needed to enable parents to work, attend education, seek medical care or attend a support group. Vulnerable children can attend childcare and other children’s activities in all circumstances.
- Students on practical Higher Education courses at English universities who have not already returned and would be unable to complete their courses if they did not return to take part in practical teaching, access specialist facilities or complete assessments will be able to return.
- There will continue to be restrictions on international travel. Holidays will not be a permitted reason to travel.
- Those seeking to leave the UK must complete an outbound declaration of travel form ahead of departure.
- The rules on visiting care homes will change to allow regular indoor visits for a single named visitor.
No further significant changes will be made on 8th March and restrictions requiring you to stay at home will remain in place.
The Clinically Extremely Vulnerable are advised not to attend work, school or education until 31st March.
Further details will be given on 29th March as to the next stage of the roadmap.
Government advice and guidelines must always be followed, and we will continue to update or policies and procedures as necessary.
COVID-19 – Testing & Vaccine Guidance
Link to all Government updates:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/updates
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested
Key Behaviours
It is critical that everybody observes the following:
- HANDS - Wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds.
- FACE - Wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
- SPACE - Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors).
Who can be tested?
You are eligible to be tested whether you have symptoms or not.
Testing for people with no symptoms are usually carried out at different locations to the ones where you book for if you do have symptoms.
Rapid Lateral Flow Tests
- Results come back within 30 minutes.
- If not completed at a test centre, you must report the result (positive or negative) to the NHS online or via telephone on 119.
- You can also order rapid lateral flow tests, to test employees with no coronavirus symptoms.
You can register to order tests if:
- Your business is registered in England
- You employ 50 people or more
- Your employees cannot work from homeDate: 24th February 2021
Employer Referrals for Essential Workers
- Employers can refer essential workers for testing if they are self-isolating because either they or members of their household have coronavirus symptoms.
- They can do this by uploading the names and contact details of self-isolating essential workers to the secure employer referral portal.
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- Referred essential workers will then receive a text message with a unique invitation code to book a test for themselves (if symptomatic) or their symptomatic household members at a regional testing site.
- To get a login to the employer referral portal, employers of essential workers should email portalservicedesk@dhsc.gov.uk with the following information:
- organisation name
- nature of the organisation’s business
- region
- names (where possible) and email addresses of the 2 users who will load essential worker contact details
Result Disclosure
It may be appropriate for an employer to inform employees if a colleague has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), so that steps can be taken to prevent further transmission. However, the employer must keep in mind its data protection obligations in relation to the employee and disclose no more information than is necessary.
The employer may be able to provide information that allows staff to know if they have been in recent close contact with the employee who has tested positive, without identifying the individual involved.
Vaccines & Negative Results
Even if an employee has had the vaccine, whether it’s the first or second dose, or a test has provided a negative result you must still follow the below guidance:
- Continue with social distancing
- Continue with regular hand washing and/or sanitising
- Still wear face coverings when required to do so Government advice and guidelines must always be followed, and we will continue to update or policies and procedures as necessary
DOWNLOAD THE ROAD MAP
DOWNLOAD THE VACCINE TESTING GUIDE
