Please note: This article is accurate as of 11th January 2021. As the entire Covid-19 pandemic is fluid, restrictions are changing on a regular basis. Always visit the latest government guidance for up-to-date and accurate information on the current regulations.
From all of us at Intelligent Scaffolding, we hope that you had a wonderful and safe Christmas break and a fantastic New Year! It’s fair to say that 2020 was a bit of a write-off and hopefully this year is lining up to be much better. However, the coronavirus pandemic is still active, and we all must keep doing our part to reduce transmission.
The Covid-19 vaccine’s rollout is now well underway, which means it won’t be long until we can return to a sense of normality. However, until then, due to a rise in infections throughout the country, the UK government has imposed more restrictions on us.
From Wednesday, 6th January 2021, England entered a third national lockdown. Unlike the November lockdown, the rules of the third lockdown are much more aligned to the first one back in April 2020. The regulations are stricter, with primary and secondary schools forced to close except for children of key workers. The government is now advising that people stay at home unless for essential purposes, including working when unreasonable to do so from home, attending medical appointments, exercising outdoors, or shopping for essential items, to name just a few.
So how will this affect key industries involving scaffolding and construction? The good news is that, unlike the first lockdown, critical industries such as construction and manufacturing can continue as normal with Covid-Secure measures in place. Workers who cannot work from home, including scaffolders and builders, can travel to and from work, such as in a home or commercial environment, while office employees are required to work from home. This means that under the current rules, we can continue to provide important scaffolding services to our personal and commercial customers, including scaffolding hire.
We are committed to keeping our staff and clients safe from the risk of the virus, so it’s great to also hear that symptom-free tests are to be offered to construction workers. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has recently announced that rapid, regular testing will be expanded to local authorities across the country, with critical workers to be prioritised. By testing workers on a regular basis, asymptomatic cases can be identified and steps can be taken to limit the spread.
Get in touch with us today to find out more about how we can help you during this national lockdown and beyond.