As England has now reached “Freedom Day” or step 4 of the roadmap, some of us will be jumping for joy, booking holidays, concerts and returning to night clubs. Others will be feeling less excited or even nervous in situations that have become unfamiliar over the last 16 months. As an employer, how do you navigate through these times without strict rules and regulations to guide you?
You may decide to continue with some measures in place, indefinitely or at least for the foreseeable future. You may have decided that new ways of working suit both your work setting and your staff. Whatever you decide to do, we recommend that you communicate any change in expectations or working practices with your staff and listen to feedback and concerns. Ultimately, if it is in the best interest of your business or school to return to “normality” then you won’t be breaking the law in doing so, however you might need to justify why this is needed. COVID is still around us and transmission rates are high after all. The key to this is the use of your risk assessment. This continues to be a working document to ensure that you are fulfilling your duty of care to your staff. Share this and highlight any changes that you make.
“Shielding” for those who are clinically extremely vulnerable is currently paused. The guidance has shifted to these people taking personal responsibility to keep themselves safe. However, as an employer, if there are additional measures that you can continue to take then of course you are likely to do so. You are legally required to fulfil your duty of care. If clinically extremely vulnerable staff have not yet returned to the workplace and are reluctant to do so, consider obtaining medical advice. Our occupational health service can be used in these circumstances. Reflect these additional measures in an individual risk assessment.
Staff are still required to isolate if they have symptoms of COVID-19, have received a positive test result, live with someone who has received a positive result or are identified as a close contact by NHS test and trace. The requirement to do so has not changed for those who have received one or even two doses of the vaccination. However, from 16th August, under 18s and those who are double-vaccinated will no longer need to isolate if identified as a close contact. Instead they will be asked to take a PCR test. A positive test will result in the legal requirement to self-isolate regardless of vaccination status. This will be welcome news to employers and to schools who have been faced with a high level of disruption due to self-isolation.
If you are working in a school then you will have seen the latest DfE Guidance from Step 4 . The guidance that had put a great emphasis on what you must do has now largely changed to recommendations. Without doubt, the schools that we work with have amazed us in the way they have worked tirelessly to minimise the disruption to children. Step 4 guidance further supports this notion. The latest guidance means you can now resume assemblies, collective worship, school plays and other “nice things” involving the whole school and their families. The main changes that step 4 brings are:
- Removal of the need to stay in bubbles
- Removal of the need to wear face coverings in any school space
- Removal of the responsibility for schools to trace close contacts. This is to be done by NHS Test and Trace
- Under 18s no longer required to isolate if contacted by NHS Test and Trace. They will be encouraged to take a PCR test
- Twice weekly asymptomatic lateral flow testing is to continue until the end of September. It will then be reviewed.
- Anyone with a positive lateral flow test is still required to self-isolate and book a PCR test (a subsequent negative PCR test taken within 2 days overrides the lateral flow test, providing they do not have symptoms)
- A full programme of primary assessments is to take place in 2021/22 and exams are set to resume in 2022 subject to PHE advice throughout the academic year
NB A local outbreak is likely to result in some measures being reintroduced to your school. Termed an “outbreak management plan”, any measures should be kept to a minimum and for as short a period as possible, thus minimising the disruption. Schools are required to have such a plan in place.
Whatever your work setting is, you are likely to have been in a working environment that has practiced enhanced hygiene with access to regular handwashing and sanitising, well-ventilated work spaces, enhanced cleaning regimes, promotion of vaccine uptake and the use of NHS test and trace app. Continue with these. These are control and prevention measures that are ultimately likely to keep outbreaks to a minimum and keep your school or business fully functioning.
Please note that appointments with our specialist occupational health physicians can typically be arranged within one week of receiving a referral and reports are usually received within 5 working days. If you wish to make a referral or would like more information on how Fusion can support your School or Business, please give us a call on 01924 827869.
