Omicron and the Latest Restrictions

With the festive season in full swing, most of us have been looking forward to enjoying our work Christmas party. The team at PSHR have been incredibly lucky and were able to arrange a festive get together earlier in the month. Sadly, this hasn’t been the case for a number of our clients, with several having been forced to cancel following the latest Coronavirus figures.

Their decision to cancel comes following the Prime Ministers announcement on 8th December which confirmed that, in response to the risks of the Omicron variant, England is moving to ‘Plan B’.  

The move to Plan B means that:

  • from 10th December 2021 face coverings are required by law in most indoor settings (See a full list of places where you must wear a face covering).
  • from 13th December 2021, those who can work from home should do so.
  • from 15th December 2021, entry to certain venues and events where large crowds gather requires an NHS COVID Pass or proof of a negative test result in the last 48 hours through NHS test and trace.

A reminder that:

  • If you develop COVID-19 symptoms you must self-isolate immediately and take a PCR test. You must self-isolate if you test positive.
  • Unvaccinated adults must continue to self-isolate for 10 days if they are a contact of someone with COVID-19.
  • Fully vaccinated adults (currently a full course of vaccination without the need for a booster, but this will be kept under review) do not need to self-isolate if they are a contact of someone with COVID-19. However, with the number of reported Omicron cases rising across the UK, from 14th December 2021, people who are fully vaccinated and identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for 7 days.

In earlier articles we reminded employers that they have a legal duty of care and must ensure the health and safety of their staff, so far as is reasonably practicable to do so. The guidance continues to change quickly, and it is, therefore, vital that employers stay up to date with the latest recommendations.

We have also previously signposted employers to the governments ‘working safely during coronavirus’ guidance and continue to strongly recommend that employers review the guide. The full ‘working safely during coronavirus’ guidance can be found here.

If you would like further HR support or advice, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team on 01473 653000 or hello@pshuanresources.co.uk

On behalf of the team at PSHR, we wish everyone a safe and very happy Christmas.

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