Covid 19: How we will deliver

What is social distancing?

Social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

They are to:

1. Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
2. Avoid non-essential use of public transport when possible
3. Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
4. Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces, noting that pubs, restaurants, leisure centres and similar venues are currently shut as infections spread easily in closed spaces where people gather together.
5. Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such phone, internet, and social media
6. Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services
7. Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is practicable.
8. We strongly advise you to follow the above measures as much as you can and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible, particularly if you are over 70 have an underlying health condition are pregnant”

This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.

Handwashing and respiratory hygiene

• There are general principles you can follow to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
  washing your hands more often – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitiser when you get home or into work, when you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food
• avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands avoid close contact with people who have symptoms
• cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin and wash your hands

Going to work

As set out in the section on staying at home, people can travel to and from work, but only where the work they do cannot be done from home.

With the exception of the organisations covered above in the section on closing non-essential shops and public spaces, the Government has not required any other businesses to close- indeed it is important for business to carry on.

Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote
working.

Sometimes this will not be possible, as not everyone can work from home. Certain jobs require people to travel to their place of work -for instance if they operate machinery, work in construction manufacturing, or are delivering front line services.

If you cannot work from home then you can still travel to work, provided you are well and neither you nor any of your household are self-isolating.

This is consistent with advice from the Chief Medical Officer.

Employers who have people in their offices or on-site should ensure that employees are able to follow Public Health England guidelines including, where possible, maintaining a 2 metre distance Tom others, and washing their hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds (or using 1and sanitiser gel if
soap and water is not available).

Work carried out in people’s homes, for example by tradespeople carrying out repairs and maintenance, can continue, provided that the trades-person is well and has no symptoms. Again, it ill be important to ensure that Public Health England guidelines, including maintaining a 2 metre distance from any household
occupants, are followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

No work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household, such as emergency plumbing or repairs, and where the tradesperson is willing to do so. In such cases, Public Health England can provide advice to tradespeople and households.

No work should be carried out by a trades-person who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild.

As set out in the section on closing non-essential shops and public spaces, the Government has 1rdered certain businesses and venues to close. The Government has set out guidance on which 1rganisations this requirement covers. Advice for employees of these organisations on employment and financial
support is available at gov.uk/coronavirus.

At all times, workers should follow the guidance on self-isolation if they or anyone in their household hows symptoms.

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