‘Freedom Day’ - Now what?

Now what?

19th July saw most of the Covid-19 legal restrictions lifted in England. However, you only need to listen to the news to learn that the infection rates are still very high. Castle HR have been getting many queries from clients as to how they should keep their own workforce and their clients as safe as possible. So, this HR Newsletter will be in a FAQ format – hopefully answering your main Covid-19 queries. A lot of information is therefore in this newsletter and things are constantly changing so if there is still anything we haven’t covered please don’t hesitate to be in touch. The HR Solutions team will be more than happy to assist.

Self-isolation - what are the rules?

Government guidance is that people who have either tested positive for Covid, have any COVID symptoms, have been in contact with anyone who is positive, or have been told to by NHS Test and Trace, should immediately self-isolate at home and take a PCR test – a test that is sent to a lab. This 10-day isolation period starts the day symptoms appeared or the day on which contact with a positive case last occurred. This still applies even if you have received one or more doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. Full details of this can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do#keeping-yourself-and-others-safe

The government has now also added a list of ‘critical industries’ whose workers can avoid self-isolation if ‘pinged’ by the NHS Track and Trace app.

These include energy; civil nuclear; digital infrastructure; food production; waste; water; veterinary medicines; essential chemicals; essential transport; medicines; medical devices; clinical consumable supplies; emergency services; border control; essential defence outputs; local government.

The employers are required to check that people qualify for exemption which is if they have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine and in ‘exceptional circumstances’. They are required to attend work only and not go anywhere else. They are required to take an initial PCR test followed by daily lateral flow tests and if they do test positive then normal isolation rules apply.
If you have employees who have been ‘pinged’ and you believe their isolation could result in serious disruption to these critical services then you should get in touch with the relevant government department and let them know:

 How many people does this affect?
 What roles do these employees undertake?
 What impact their failure to undertake these roles will have?

If the government department feels this meets with their criteria they will send, you the employer, written confirmation naming the critical workers and telling them what measures to follow.
The government have specific requirements for frontline health and care staff which can be found here.

From 16 August 2021, fully vaccinated contacts aged 18 years or older will not have to quarantine but will be advised to take a PCR test as soon as possible