The impact of Covid-19 Continues to affect business operations. Please read the latest Coronavirus update for April 2022. All information is correct as of 1st April 2022 and has been taken from the government website.
Two years on and we’re slowly learning to live with Covid-19. Timeless IMS want to keep our clients in the loop so see below the latest guidance and advice from the government in regards to keeping everyone safe from Coronavirus.
Guidance as of April 2022
A new set of guidance from the UK Health Security Agency was issued on 1st April 2022 and provides important health advice for people with COVID-19 symptoms, a positive COVID-19 test and their contacts and advice on how to reduce risk.
Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said:
“As we learn to live with COVID, we encourage people to keep following simple steps to help keep themselves and others safe. The pandemic is not over and how the virus will develop over time remains uncertain. COVID still poses a real risk to many of us.”
The “simple steps” are as followed:
- Advised to wear a mask in crowded and enclosed spaces,
- Keep indoor spaces ventilated,
- Stay away from others if you have any symptoms
“Vaccination remains the best way to protect us all from severe disease and hospitalization. If you have not yet come forward for your primary or booster, I would urge you to do so straight away”. Harries then goes on to say the programme is there to help and to protect the nation, so it is vital people are vaccinated.
Testing Positive
If you test positive for COVID-19, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least 5 days and avoid those classed as ‘vulnerable’ or ‘at risk’ for 10 days. Children who have no symptoms yet test positive are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the result.
UKHSA Guidance for those WITH symptoms of Covid-19
Stay at home and avoid contact with others. The guidance also states that someone with symptoms of COVID-19 should avoid any contact with individuals with a weaker immune system at all costs
Anyone who needs to leave their home whilst they have symptoms of COVID-19, or within 5 days of a positive test result, should take important precautions to minimize the chance of passing on their infection. Such precautions could include:
- wearing a well-fitting face mask
- avoiding busy, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces such as public transport, large social gatherings.
- Remember good hygiene to lessen the chance of spreading the virus (hand sanitizer, covering mouth)
- exercising alone outdoors and away from other people
Reducing Transmission of Infection indoors
These include getting vaccinated, wearing a well-fitting face mask, ensuring adequate ventilation indoors and good hygiene such as covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and regularly washing hands.
Respiratory infections can be very contagious especially in crowded and busy workplaces.
Know which symptoms to look out for
Symptoms of COVID-19, flu and common respiratory infections include:
- continuous cough
- high temperature, fever or chills
- loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
- feeling breathless
- lethargy
- muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
- loss of appetite
- headache
- sore throat, runny nose, congestion
- diarrhoea
- nausea
What to do when a member of staff has symptoms of Covid-19
Actions to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19:
- Encourage and enable vaccination
- Maintain a clean workplace
- Ventilate the workplace
The Health and Safety Executive provides guidance on how to assess and improve ventilation here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/ventilation/
Changes to the rules
The legal requirements to self-isolate were removed in England on 24th February 2022.
From 24th March 2022, coronavirus-specific rules on entitlement to statutory sick pay are removed. Now an employee will be entitled to SSP only if they are unwell and not able to work (not if they are well but staying at home in line with government advice).
While there is no longer a legal requirement to self-isolate, government guidance advises that people with coronavirus symptoms, or who have tested positive, should stay at home, and avoid contact with others.
They are advised to work from home if they can. You can read more here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19
From 1st April, free coronavirus testing will also no longer be available to the general public in England.
If you are unfortunately working from home or have staff that are, visit our Tech:Friend Homeworker and Tech:Friend Benefit pages for advice and services we provide for remote workers
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