Government Begins Campaign To Encourage Returning to the Office
The Transport Minister has told a London radio station that: “Our central message is pretty straightforward: we are saying to people it is now safe to return to...
Read Full ArticleIn his address to the nation last night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed a “conditional plan” to reopen society and encourage certain groups back to work.
Johnson, in a televised speech broadcast on 10 May 2020, announced his first step: a “change of emphasis” with regards to working from home measures, actively encouraging those who cannot work from home to return.
More details are expected to be released today on specific back to work measures.
We now need to stress that anyone who can’t work from home, for instance those in construction or manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work.
–Boris Johnson
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Stating that more details would be set out in Parliament today (11 May 2020), Johnson gave construction and manufacturing as examples of industries that should be “actively encouraged to go to work”.
Additionally, public transportation is still to be avoided and, if possible, employees should travel by car, walking or by bicycle.
Detailed guidance on how to make workplaces COVID-secure is being awaited by UK businesses.
Picture: Graphic of the UK's Three Step Plan. Image Credit: BBC
A Covid Alert System run by a new Joint Biosecurity Centre, was also introduced, determined by the rate of infection and the new number of cases. The Covid Alert Level will tell us “how tough we have to be in our social distancing measures”. The lower the level the fewer the measures, the higher the level, the tougher and stricter we will have to be.
People will also now be permitted to take unlimited amounts of exercise, sit or sunbathe in parks and play sports with household members from Wednesday onwards.
Further steps regarding the reopening of schools and other public places were also outlined:
“In step two – at the earliest by June 1 – after half term – we believe we may be in a position to begin the phased reopening of shops and to get primary pupils back into schools, in stages, beginning with reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
“Our ambition is that secondary pupils facing exams next year will get at least some time with their teachers before the holidays. And we will shortly be setting out detailed guidance on how to make it work in schools and shops and on transport.
“And step three - at the earliest by July - and subject to all these conditions and further scientific advice; if and only if the numbers support it, we will hope to re-open at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places, provided they are safe and enforce social distancing.”
Picture: Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 11 May 2020
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