Latest Guidance
- October Gov.uk issued a press release Clinically extremely vulnerable receive updated advice tailored to local COVID alert levels
- New guidance was published yesterday, 15th October 2020 Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
- The guidance varies according to local COVID alert levels (see below for more detail in relation to work and schools).
- Shielding advice will not be automatically triggered by an area going into local COVID alert level very high, although formal shielding may still be advised in the future.
- In all areas employees are still able to attend work if they cannot work from home.
Additional Details
Work – General
Everyone is currently advised to work from home where possible.
If you need support to work at home or in the workplace you can apply for Access to Work. Access to Work will provide support for the disability-related extra costs of working that are beyond standard reasonable adjustments an employer must provide.
If you cannot work from home, you can still go to work. However, if you live or work in an area where formal shielding advice has been put in place, and you have received a new shielding notification informing you of this, we advise that you do not go to work.
Your employer is required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace and should be able to explain to you the measures they have put in place to keep you safe at work.
Where employers are not managing the risk of COVID-19, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities will take action which can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing enforcement notices, stopping certain work practices until they are made safe and, where businesses fail to comply with enforcement notices, this could lead to prosecution.
If you have concerns about your health and safety at work you can raise them with your workplace union, the Health and Safety Executive or your local authority.
Consider how to get to and from work. If you need to use public transport, you must wear a face covering unless you are exempt. Consider travelling outside peak hours to reduce the number of people with whom you come into contact.
If you have concerns you can get advice on your specific situation and your employment rights by visiting the Acas website or calling the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100.
School – General
The UK Chief Medical Officers have issued a statement on schools and childcare reopening which states that there is a very low rate of severe disease in children from COVID-19. Schools have their own measures in place to limit the risk of transmission which can be found in guidance on reopening of schools.
All pupils and students should continue to attend education settings at all local COVID alert levels unless they are one of the very small number of pupils or students under paediatric or other specialist care and have been advised by their GP or clinician not to attend an education setting.
- COVID alert level medium:
Work and school
You should continue to work from home where possible.
If you cannot work from home, you can still attend your workplace as your workplace should be COVID-secure. The general advice on work has further details about what to do if you have concerns.
All pupils and students should continue to attend education settings at all local COVID alert levels unless they are one of the very small number of pupils or students under paediatric or other specialist care and have been advised by their GP or clinician not to attend an education setting.
- COVID alert level high:
Work and school
The advice is the same as for local COVID alert level: medium.
You should continue to work from home where possible. If you cannot work from home, you can still attend your workplace as your workplace should be COVID-secure. The general advice on work has further details about what to do if you have concerns.
All pupils and students should continue to attend education settings at all local COVID alert levels unless they are one of the very small number of pupils or students under paediatric or other specialist care and have been advised by their GP or clinician not to attend an education setting.
- COVID alert level very high:
Work and school
Where at all possible you are strongly advised to work from home, because the rate of transmission of the virus in your area is very high.
If you cannot work from home, and are concerned about going into work, you may want to speak to your employer about taking on an alternative role or change your working patterns temporarily (for example, to avoid travelling in rush hour).
If there is no alternative, you can still go to work. Your employer is required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Your employer should be able to explain to you the measures they have put in place to keep you safe at work.
Where some employers are not managing the risk of coronavirus, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities will take action which can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing enforcement notices, stopping certain work practices until they are made safe and, where businesses fail to comply with enforcement notices, this could lead to prosecution.
If you have concerns about your health and safety at work you can raise them with your workplace union, the Health and Safety Executive or your local authority.
All pupils and students should continue to attend education settings at all local COVID alert levels unless they are one of the very small number of pupils or students under paediatric or other specialist care and have been advised by their GP or clinician not to attend an education setting.
General Guidance
The general coronavirus guidance starts here:-
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
