COVID Update 91

The guidance has been updated with some information for Step 3 (no earlier than 17 May) of the roadmap and contains steps to protect yourself, your staff and your customers during coronavirus. In addition to the info below, business should make sure that they are familiar with the UK government guidance to ensure that they make their business safe during coronavirus.

Following the move to Step 3, businesses will be able to:

• Reopen indoor areas of their venues.
• Serve customers in groups of up to 6 or 2 households indoors, or in groups of up to 30 outdoors.
• There will also be some relaxation of rules around live performances, business events and soft play areas.

Businesses may wish to erect outdoor shelters. To be considered ‘outdoors’, shelters, marquees and other structures can have a roof but need to have at least 50% of the area of their walls open at all times whilst in use. Table service will be required for venues that serve alcohol, even if no alcohol is ordered, this means customers must order, be served and eat/drink while seated. If a venue does not serve alcohol, customers can order and collect food and drink from a counter. But they must consume food and drink while seated at a table.

Find out more here

Indoor events and all remaining outdoor events can commence from Step 3, subject to meeting COVID-secure requirements including social distancing.

These social contact limits for permitted organised gatherings will be:

• Indoors - rule of 6 or 2 households
• Outdoors - 30 people
• Organised sport - exempt from social contact limits

Organisers should also mitigate risk to public health by controlling attendance, limiting numbers to take account of the space and ventilation of a venue and implementing effective infection prevention and control measures.

All events recommencing at Step 3 will be subject to the following capacity caps:

1. 1,000 people or 50% of a venue’s capacity, whichever is lower at indoor events
2. 4,000 people or 50% of a site or venue’s capacity, whichever is lower at outdoor events

The government has also made a special provision for large, outdoor seated venues where crowds can be safely distributed around the venue, allowing up to 10,000 people or 25% of total seated capacity, whichever is lower.

Find out more here

There are 14 guides cover a range of different types of work. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may need to use more than one of these guides as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe. Priority actions are outlined at the top of each guide.

Find out more here

Legionella risks
Employers, the self-employed and people in control of premises, such as landlords, have a duty to protect people by identifying and controlling risks associated with legionella. If your building was closed or has reduced occupancy during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, water system stagnation can occur due to lack of use, increasing the risks of Legionnaires' disease.

Find out more here


Ventilation and air conditioning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
The law says employers must make sure there’s an adequate supply of fresh air (ventilation) in enclosed areas of the workplace.

Find out more here


Risk assessment
As an employer, you must protect people from harm. This includes taking reasonable steps to protect your workers and others from coronavirus. This is called a COVID-19 risk assessment and it'll help you manage risk and protect people.

Find out more here


Covid-19 fire safety video
Leicestershire Fire and rescue have produced a short video for businesses reopening

Find out more here


Fire safety for Marquees and outdoor structures
Another guidance video from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue

Find out more here

All venues in England in scope of the regulations are legally required to display an official NHS QR code poster. There will be new posters displaying QR codes for hospitality venues in England.

Everyone in a group must check in

• In line with new regulations, when a group enters a hospitality venue, every individual must check either by scanning the official NHS QR code poster with the NHS COVID-19 app, or by providing their contact details. Previously, only the lead member of the group needed to provide contact details to check in.

Venue history sharing

• If an app user tests positive, they will be asked to share their venue history in a privacy-protecting way via the app. This will allow venue alerts to be generated more quickly and improve the ability to identify where outbreaks are occurring and take steps to prevent the virus spreading.

Additional venue alerts

• If a person has been at a venue on the same day as several other people who have since tested positive for COVID-19, they may receive an alert advising them to book a test immediately, whether they are showing symptoms or not. This is to support finding asymptomatic cases who may have caught the virus but are not displaying symptoms.

Find out more here

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Please remember that if we can help, we always will or find somebody who may be able to assist.

Many thanks, stay safe and well.

Steve Wegerif

Published by Hinckley BID – 11/05/2021
Steve Wegerif 0770 939 4841 – steve@hinckleybid.co.uk
www.hinckleybid.co.uk

We are available 7 days a week during the Covid Pandemic.