Covid-19 Information

From 1 April 2022 the COVID-19 advice to employers is changing as we transition to the government’s Living with Covid plan.

As was the case before the pandemic, we expect all employees to take personal responsibility for protecting themselves and others by reducing the potential for infectious illnesses to spread. 

The following guidance will apply from 1 April 2022 when our workplaces can be used at pre-Covid capacity levels. The exception to this is for colleagues working in social care settings who should for now continue to follow existing guidance for these settings.

• if you have symptoms of a viral infection such as COVID-19, flu or sickness and diarrhoea please do not attend your workplace. If you are well enough and your role allows, you can work from home. If you cannot work from home but are well enough to work, please talk to your manager discuss the risk of spreading illness and whether any plans can be put in place to allow you to attend a workplace
• wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds or more to limit the spread of COVID-19 – hand sanitising stations continue to be available
• keep windows in workplaces and meeting rooms open to allow good natural ventilation
• consider wearing a face covering in crowded or enclosed spaces, especially where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet
• limit the amount of time you spend in kitchen areas and other small rooms used by lots of colleagues · Shared equipment and desks should be cleaned down before and after each use with cleaning stations continuing to be accessible for staff
• our workspaces are appropriately spaced to ensure people can sit at a sensible distance to help control transmission of infection
• enhanced cleaning practices remain in place.· We continue to encourage you to take a lateral flow test before attending a workplace if you have COVID-19 symptoms (even if mild) as part of your personal responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19
• you must continue to sign in and out of workplaces using the established signing in process for that workplace to ensure we are aware of who is in the building for fire evacuation purposes.

We will no longer have specific COVID-19 risk assessments but will integrate plans to limit the spread of COVID-19 into our overall infection control procedures.

If you are more at risk from infection due to medical conditions you will be supported by your manager. Any necessary mitigations will be implemented to ensure you can use our workspaces without causing undue risks to your health and wellbeing. 

Please remember that getting vaccinated offers the best protection against COVID-19. It reduces the risk of spreading it to others and means you’re less likely to get seriously ill. It's not too late to get vaccinated, you can still book a first, second, third or booster dose.

We will continue to review these infection prevention measures along with COVID-19 infection rates and update you on any changes to the guidance.