UK | COVID-19 | Regulatory watch: New guidance for PPE, transport, school reopening

As England’s strategy goes from “stay home” to “stay alert”, UK is stepping into a new stage aginst COVID-19. More regulations and guidance are published for the transition.

Regulatory change in coronavirus restrictions in England The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 clarifies the circumstances in which hotels may provide accommodation to “key workers”, extends the list of reasonable excuses for which express provision is made, including permitting people to leave their homes to visit public open spaces for open-air recreation with members of their households, and to permit people to exercise or engage in open-air recreation with one member of another household. It also increases the fines which may be imposed by fixed penalty notice. In addition, garden centres and outdoor sports courts are added to the list of businesses which may remain open. Chancellor extends furlough scheme until October The government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will remain open until the end of October, the Chancellor announced on Tuesday 12 May 2020. Plan to rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy Government published roadmap for how and when the UK will adjust its response to the COVID-19 crisis. Public advised to cover faces in enclosed spaces The public is advised to consider wearing face coverings in enclosed public spaces such as shops, trains and buses to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. Read the guidance on how to wear and make a cloth face covering. In addition, to deal with the urgent lack of PPE in the country, guidance was published for Small-Scale Manufacturers of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment. School reopening on 1 June Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings has been published to address the guidance for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students. New guidance launched to help get Brits safely back to work The government also publishes guidance for employers to help them get their businesses back up and running and workplaces operating safely. The 5 key points are:

• Work from home, if you can
• Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment, in consultation with workers or trade unions
• Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible
• Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk
• Reinforcing cleaning processes

However, despite the new guidance, most employees still feel these steps too vague to carry out in the workplace and would like to avoid going into the office. New guidance published to ensure transport network is safe for those who need to use it With the fear of contracting the virus on the way to work, most Brits opt to cycle, drive or walk to work. However, for those who cannot avoid public transport, the government published both Information for people using transport or working in the transport sector during the coronavirus outbreak and guidance for safer travel and safer transport operations during the next phase of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.