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Lifting of Covid restrictions

Jacqueline

| 0 Posts

21 Feb, 2022 08:45

Hi all

I'm reviewing our Covid Policy and Risk Assessments in anticipation of the government's announcement later today.

We're planning to retire the policy and risk assessments (which have grown to be almost unmanageable as we've adapted them regularly on the fly over the past two years) and work our remaining recommendations (good ventilation, recommending mask wearing, hybrid working, self certing for up to seven days or working from home if have symptoms) into our standard risk assessments and policies.

What is everyone else doing at this point in time?

Kind regards

Jackie

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  • Keith

    | 0 Posts

    21 Feb, 2022 08:50

    Hi

    We are pretty much going to a business as usual model. Treating covid similarly to other illnesses. We are going free form on masks - wear them if you want to ( given that people are living their lives largely massless it felt hard to even recommend them )

    We shall see how things evolve.

    Keith.
  • Jacqueline

    | 0 Posts

    21 Feb, 2022 08:58

    In reply to Keith:

    Thanks, Keith. That gives me some reassurance that I'm heading in the right direction. Our visitor facing staff tend to have an understandably high level of concern about H&S and Covid, so I wanted to find a comfortable middle ground. I need to talk to our Head of Visitor Experience about hand sanitising stations and whether we're going to keep those or not. Plus are we going to keep buying masks/hand santiser for staff? I suspect not but we might want to wind it down gently....

  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    21 Feb, 2022 11:52

    My personal view is that the framing of simple measures like mask wearing when moving about indoor spaces as 'restrictive' - rather than protective - is unhelpful.

    I also hope we don't hear the PM call (as some are suggesting) for everyone to 'get back to work'... as if work outside of an office isn't real 'work'. We'll see soon enough.

  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    21 Feb, 2022 15:55

    In reply to Steve Bridger:

    I'll post a CIPD response later.
  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    21 Feb, 2022 21:32

    In reply to Steve Bridger:

    Employers should still be cautious and recognise their legal duty of care to employees

  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    22 Feb, 2022 15:43

    In reply to Steve Bridger:

    Useful summary of what Living with Covid means for workforce management, from Govt...

  • Robey

    | 0 Posts

    22 Feb, 2022 16:14

    On a personal level, I plan on adopting the Japanese approach of wearing a mask in public whenever I feel like I may have a cough, cold or similar symptoms. I've acquired quite the collection over the last couple of years, and it seems like a good way to just generally help viruses not spread.

    I'd also like to see businesses and institutions retain the use of hand sanitizer at entranceways to help keep the spread of illness down - just good for everyone's general wellbeing as well as for keeping productivity up.

    Ideally, I'd see fist-bumps replace handshakes, too, but that might be a hope too far.
  • Jacqueline

    | 0 Posts

    22 Feb, 2022 16:28

    In reply to Robey:

    Or even elbow bumps or waving from a distance - that would be even better as far as I'm concerned. :-D
  • Robey

    | 0 Posts

    23 Feb, 2022 09:00

    In reply to Jacqueline:

    As a long-time karate student, I'd be happy to go full Japanese and just bow!
  • Jacqueline

    | 0 Posts

    23 Feb, 2022 09:01

    In reply to Robey:

    Ooh, I like that idea. Or I could carry my fencing foil around and salute with my sword. :-D
  • Catherine Fehilly

    | 0 Posts

    23 Feb, 2022 10:18

    Hi, we are currently reviewing what we will do. All of our teams have been asked to review their team working agreements which have been put into place over the last two years and to decide how much hybrid working they will allow and will also be reviewing our risk assessments and policies and requirements on ventiliation and mask wearing and office capacity as we move forward
  • Deborah

    | 0 Posts

    23 Feb, 2022 10:25

    This is a topic that is being debated in my workplace and I am finding it challenging as I have a vested interest.

    I had a kidney transplant in December 21 and am just preparing to return to the office on a part time basis. I am immuno-suppressed and therefore at high risk of infection. Nobody is wearing masks anymore (I wear one everywhere) and when I attended a meeting and asked that all participants do an LFT so I knew it was safe for me to attend most were very happy to comply - but not all.

    I really want to be able to work in the office (I have my own office so for the most part will be safe) but feel awkward making a fuss. If I don't make a fuss and have some guidelines in place then it won't be safe for me to attend.

    It is rather a typical HR thing - if it was another employee at risk I would have no problem arguing for some proper guidelines rather than all back to normal.
  • Catherine Fehilly

    | 0 Posts

    23 Feb, 2022 10:29

    In reply to Robey:

    I have to say I agree with you Robey, I will still wear a mask at times like this and probably for a while to come will still wear one on public transport and in crowded public spaces
  • Steve Bridger

    | 0 Posts

    Community Manager

    23 Feb, 2022 10:47

    In reply to Deborah:

    Thank you for sharing this, Deborah. I think those feelings of 'awkwardness' and not wishing to 'make a fuss' are really significant.
  • Jacqueline

    | 0 Posts

    23 Feb, 2022 10:51

    In reply to Deborah:

    Have you got a personal risk assessment in place, Deborah? That might be a more analytical way to assess the situation and put mitigations in place so it's not you asking and feeling awkward, but is formally recognised by your employer and implemented.