A national lockdown still applies in all of England. You can only leave home for work purposes where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home.
The virus is changing and is now more easily transmitted. Whilst the measures to prevent spread are the same, it is more important than ever to closely follow measures stringently at all times.
What do I need to do as a business?
- Review your COVID secure policies and risk assessments and, crucially, check regularly to observe what happens in practice and that they are being followed stringently at all times.
- Ask: is everyone who can do their jobs from home now doing so? If not take action to enable everyone who could do their job from home
If it is necessary to have staff on site, help prevent the spread by:
- Have minimum numbers of staff on sites, especially in offices
- Ventilate indoor workspaces, open the windows
- Stay 2 metres apart at all times, including break times and travel to/from the workplace
- Where possible introduce one way systems
- Wash hands frequently
- Clean touch points and shared facilities more frequently
- Vital to continue with measures at all times, including breaks, and on the way to and from work
- 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 (please note face coverings are not a replacement for all the important measures listed above).
- Workers can now get access to regular fast test to see if they have the virus – this is the Lateral Flow Device test for people without COVID-19 symptoms.
If you want to register your interest to get access to the lateral flow test please email boltontesting@bolton.gov.uk
Upon registering your interest, we will share the details of how and when you can book appointments. It is important that the location is only discussed with members of your staff who may be affected as workers will not be able to just to turn up at the centre.
This quick and simple test will be crucial to ensure business continuity for vital services in Bolton and will help to protect you, colleagues and the wider community.
Key points of the Asymptomatic Testing Programme
- Their primary purpose is to pick up asymptomatic (symptom-free) people to remove them quickly from work settings
- The rapid tests cannot be used to release staff from self-isolation ie if you are a close contact by the definition, you still need to follow the government self-isolation guidance at all times.
o If you receive a negative result from an LFD test it’s important you continue to follow the rules to protect yourself, colleagues and loved one. Remember:-
Hands – wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water often, and as soon as you get home – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water not available
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 at least 2 metres away from anyone you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble
Limit your contacts – you must not mix with other households indoors or outdoors unless they are in your support or childcare bubble
The latest guidance for making your business COVID secure can be found here: http://bit.ly/workplacesecure