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Boris Johnson tried yesterday to clear up Sunday’s confusing message to the nation by urging people to start working again this week if they can.
But the prime minister’s call came when figures showed that working-class men are at the highest risk of dying from Covid-19, raising fears that the lowest-paid may be forced to put themselves in danger to restart the economy. .
And despite its efforts to inspire confidence on the route out of the bull run, the government continued to face charges of mixed messages.
Johnson said in the Commons that employers must “take care of workers” and be “safe for Covid, that they comply with Covid.”
He told parliamentarians: “Anyone who cannot work from home should be actively encouraged to go to work and the sectors that should be open should be open but subject to social distancing.”
Returning to work is a key part of the Covid-19 Recovery Strategy, in which the Business Department provided guidance for eight environments, including factories, offices, and call centers.
(Image: PA)
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But the Office for National Statistics said security guards, taxi drivers, caretakers, bus drivers, chefs and retail assistants have higher death rates involving Covid-19 than other workers.
And as the death toll in the UK rose by 210 yesterday to 32,065, union leaders warned of an unacceptable risk to staff if they return to the front line with the pandemic still ongoing.
Unite demanded a public investigation into “why low-wage workers appear to be at increased risk of dying from Covid-19.”
Unison Secretary General Dave Prentis said: “There has to be a safe return to work. This guide should have come much earlier. People are puzzled by the confusing and often conflicting messages from the government.
“We have to do it right. If we don’t, more lives will be lost and there will be a second spike.”
(Image: Getty Images)
RMT Secretary General Mick Cash said: “This is the government that is making it up as they move forward amid a pandemic. It is a disaster and they are my members in the transport sector whose lives are at stake. The entire return-to-work policy should be put on hold until safety can be guaranteed. ”
Plan # 10 to facilitate blocking recommends using face covers on public transportation and in some stores, but they will not be mandatory. Counseling for offices includes the use of tape or paint to keep workers two meters away and lift screens.
For companies offering takeaways, the orientation includes kitchen workstations two meters away and asking customers to wait in cars.
TUC Secretary General Frances O’Grady said the safety guidelines “are a step in the right direction.”
He added: “People will only feel safe if the government and employers now act to make work safer a reality. Doing this well is in the national interest.
If dishonest employers cut corners, it puts us all at risk of another rebound and the government must face the current crisis in the PPE as more workers begin to demand it. ”
The roadmap also describes the dates when parts of normal life could resume in England, but Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own plans.
(Image: Phil Harris)
Non-essential stores won’t open until June 1 at the latest and only if bosses can demonstrate that they can keep customers and staff safe. Hairdressers, cafes and restaurants will be closed until at least July 4, as will places of worship.
Business operations yesterday included garden centers and coffee shops, including 71 Pret a Manger sites.
The prime minister said keeping the “R” rate (the spread of the virus) below one would help decide the timing. He said: “Our journey has reached the most dangerous moment where wrong movement could be disastrous, so at this stage we cannot go beyond the first careful modifications of our measures.”
But he continued to face accusations of confusing messages. No10 said Sunday that some changes would take effect for employees who return to work since Monday. However, when Johnson made his television address, he was unable to explain when the shakeup would go into effect.
Exercise
Unlimited outdoor exercise will be allowed, with the above ‘once a day’ rule removed
Tan
People will be allowed to sit in parks and beaches as long as they are within two meters of other people.
Drive
Boris Johnson said in his Sunday night speech that people will be able to drive to other destinations starting Wednesday, presumably to exercise there, although more detailed plans are likely to follow.
Meet others
Starting May 13, people can meet a friend or relative from a different home in a public place, as long as they are two meters away. Gatherings of more than two people are still prohibited, so people cannot meet their parents, for example.
Play golf and tennis
Golf courses and tennis courts will reopen from May 13, with a relatively easy social distancing to achieve, although you can only play with people in your home. Team sports, such as soccer, are unlikely to be encouraged as social distancing is difficult and would require more people than the average home.
Fishing and swimming
Angling and water sports will also be allowed to resume in England starting on Wednesday. Again, you must be inside your own home and two meters from other people.
Back to work
Instead of a change in the rules, the government is now encouraging people to return to work if they cannot do it from home. But they also urge people to drive, walk, or bike to work instead of using public transportation, if possible
And Secretary of Foreign Affairs Dominic Raab gave contradictory messages yesterday about social estrangement and return to work. He said the rules would take effect on Wednesday, creating confusion over why the prime minister announced them on Sunday.
Labor leader Keir Starmer told the Commons: “What the country needs at the moment is clarity and calm, and both are very rare.”
Unison chief Mr Prentis said the confusion over the closure “worsens because England is now out of step with the rest of the UK.” And Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon added: “It has never been so important for political leaders to communicate clearly.”
Meanwhile, the government reached its goal of 100,000 daily tests for the first time in nine days yesterday. Some 100,490 were “provided”, including home kits shipped and still to be returned.
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