In Dudley borough
The government has announced new measures to suppress the COVID-19 virus and keep the number of infections down.
PLAY YOUR PART, PROTECT DUDLEY BOROUGH, HELP US AVOID A LOCAL LOCKDOWN
NHS TEST AND TRACE
The NHS Test and Trace app went live on Thursday 24 September and certain venues, including those run by local authorities, will be legally required to display an NHS QR code before then. View more information on business requirements here
From 18 September, it was mandatory for certain businesses to have a system to collect NHS Test and Trace data, and keep this for 21 days. Guidance on maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace
The test and trace workplace guidance can be downloaded here.
View and download the test and trace FAQs for businesses.
The government has also published simplified COVID-19 Secure guidance, available here.
RULE OF SIX
When meeting friends and family you do not live with you must not meet in a group of more than 6, indoors or outdoors.
View the full information on what has changed.
- Support groups must be limited to a maximum of 15 people
- Indoor organised sport for over 18s are no longer be exempt from the rule of six. There is an exemption for indoor organised team sports for disabled people
- There is a new exemption in those areas of local intervention where household mixing is not allowed to permit friends and family to provide informal childcare for children under 14
- Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions are restricted to a maximum of 15 people. Other significant standalone life events will be subject to the ‘rule of six’ limits, except funerals
REOPENING AND OPERATING YOUR BUSINESS SAFELY
You MUST complete a risk assessment and make sensible adjustments to the site and workforce.
Advice and guidance to help you safely reopen your business can be found here.
WORKING SAFELY DURING CORONAVIRUS
On Monday 28 September, the government yesterday (28 September) updated the advice on how to make your workplace COVID-secure with guidance for the following sectors:
- Heritage locations
- Hotels and other guest accommodation
- Performing arts
- The visitor economy
www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19
Public health are encouraging anyone who is pregnant to ensure that they have the flu jab. Please display the poster in your premises - see below downloadable version.
CHANGES TO BUSINESS WORKING PRACTICES
- Businesses selling food or drink (including cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants), social clubs, casinos, bowling alleys, amusement arcades (and other indoor leisure centres or facilities), funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls, must be closed between 10pm and 5am. This will include takeaways but delivery services can continue after 10pm
- In licensed premises, food and drink must be ordered from, and served at, a table.
Customers must eat and drink at a table in any premises selling food and drink to consume on site - Businesses will need to display the official NHS QR code posters so that customers can ‘check-in’ at different premises using this option as an alternative to providing their contact details once the app is rolled out nationally
- Businesses and organisations will face stricter rules to make their premises COVID Secure:
- A wider range of leisure and entertainment venues, services provided in community centres, and close contact services will be subject to the COVID-1
- Secure requirements in law and fines of up to £10,000 for repeated breaches
- Employers must not knowingly require or encourage someone who is being required to self-isolate to come to work
- Businesses must remind people to wear face coverings where mandated
- Business conferences, exhibition halls and large sporting events are unable to open
WORKING FROM HOME
To help contain the virus, office workers who can work effectively from home should do so over the winter. Where an employer, in consultation with their employee, judges an employee can carry out their normal duties from home they should do so. Public sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary. Anyone else who cannot work from home should go to their place of work. The risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed closely. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.
Pregnant women have been included in the list of people at moderate risk (clinically vulnerable) for catching Covid 19. As employees, it is important that you encourage any pregnant employees to have a flu jab. A poster had been produced to promote this initiative. Download this poster.
RESOURCES
The below resources include messages for staff and customers and can be downloaded and printed as required via Dropbox or wetransfer.
If you have trouble downloading them or require physical or translated copies please email: capa.admin@dudley.gov.uk.
Download our face coverings poster.
Download our face coverings - dos and don't poster.
Download the flu jabs during pregnancy poster.
Download staff and customer advice posters via Dropbox.
View all of the posters here.
FACE COVERINGS
Guidance stating that face coverings should be worn in close contact services became law from 24 September.
It is mandatory to wear a face covering in:
- public transport (aeroplanes, trains, trams and buses)
- taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs)
- transport hubs (airports, rail and tram stations and terminals, maritime ports and terminals, bus and coach stations and terminals)
- shops and supermarkets (places which offer goods or services for retail sale or hire)
- shopping centres (malls and indoor markets)
- auction houses
- premises providing hospitality (bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes), except when seated at a table to eat or drink (see exemptions)
- post offices, banks, building societies, high-street solicitors and accountants, credit unions, short-term loan providers, savings clubs and money service businesses
- estate and lettings agents
- theatres
- premises providing personal care and beauty treatments (hair salons, barbers, nail salons, massage centres, tattoo and piercing parlours)
- premises providing veterinary services
- visitor attractions and entertainment venues (museums, galleries, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, cultural and heritage sites, aquariums, indoor zoos and visitor farms, bingo halls, amusement arcades, adventure activity centres, indoor sports stadiums, funfairs, theme parks, casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, indoor play areas including soft-play areas)
- libraries and public reading rooms
- places of worship
- funeral service providers (funeral homes, crematoria and burial ground chapels)
- community centres, youth centres and social clubs
- exhibition halls and conference centres
- public areas in hotels and hostels
- storage and distribution facilities
Unless you are exempt for health, age or equality reasons.
Your face covering must cover your nose and mouth at all times.
- DO ensure the mask covers your mouth, nose and chin
- DO remove the mask from behind ears (touch ties/loops only)
- DO change/wash regularly or discard in waste receptacle
- DON’T wear the mask under your chin, around neck or over one ear
- DON’T touch or readjust the mask once worn
- DON’T remove the mask to cough or sneeze
A poster had been produced explaining face mask exemptions. You may wish to download and display this in your business to help you to discuss with any customers not wearing one.
Face visors/shields and front of house business use: Face shields do not offer sufficient coverage. It is advised that your employees must use a cloth face mask, or a combination of face mask and shield if preferred.
Government guidance for passengers.
Government guidance for operators.
Dudley Council have produced an exemption card for use by anyone with legitimate health reasons. This is available to download now to print or use on mobile devices.
Government guidance for face coverings
FACE SHIELD/VISOR: GENERAL PUBLIC
A face shield/visor is not classified as a face covering in the government restrictions as they do not fully cover the nose and mouth. A face mask should be used.
If you are exempt from wearing a face mask, you may choose to wear a shield/visor as an extra level of protection.
FACE SHIELD/VISOR: BUSINESSES
According to government restrictions face shields and visors do not provide sufficient coverage of the nose and mouth.
Businesses need to ensure that their customers and staff remain safe against Covid 19. You are advised to inform staff that they should wear face masks and, if appropriate, additional coverage can be achieved by wearing a shield/visor as well.
FACE MASK/GLOVES: LITTERING
There has been an increase in littering with people dropping face masks and gloves. This is could help the spread of Covid 19, as well as making the borough a grot spot. As a consequence we have produced posters and are running a social media campaign. Why not download the poster and display in your premises.
KICKSTART SCHEME
Businesses are now able to sign up to be part of the landmark £2 billion Kickstart scheme, giving unemployed young people a future of opportunity and hope by creating high-quality, government-subsidised jobs across the UK.
Under the scheme, announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak as part of his Plan for Jobs, employers can offer youngsters aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit a six-month work placement.
The government will fully fund each “Kickstart” job - paying 100% of the age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week.
Kickstart Scheme opens for employer applications
SHOP, VISIT, EXPLORE LOCAL
People are being encouraged to ‘shop, visit and explore local’ as part of a new campaign supporting borough businesses and tourist attractions.
Visit Discover Dudley to find out more.
HANDS FACE SPACE
It is critical that everybody observes the following key behaviours:
- HANDS – Wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds.
- FACE – Wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
- SPACE – Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place.
STAY CONNECTED
If you want to receive the latest advice and support for your business sign up to our free email updates. It’s quick and easy and can be done here.
PAVEMENT LICENSES
Temporary Licence applications for the hospitality industry to place tables and chairs on the public highway are now open. Find out more and apply here.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Find guidance on staying well and supporting staff and colleagues with home working here
Mental Health at Work have produced this guide: Remote working: a practical safety guide for businesses
See the CIPD Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for UK employers
Flu -
Can be very dangerous for pregnant mums and their unborn babies. Businesses are encouraged to help spread the word by placing flu posters in workplaces or sharing via social media.
Illustrator Ben Poultney has created a Black Country Colouring-In Print featuring cartoons inspired by photos sent to him from people all over the Black Country. You can download the artwork here and share your completed pictures on Twitter using @drawmytown and #dudleystayshome.
SKILLS AND RECRUITMENT
Find out what support is available here.
COVID-19 ISOLATION PAYMENT
From Monday 28 September, people in Dudley who have been told by the NHS to self-isolate, either because they have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, may be entitled to some financial support (£500) during their self-isolation period. www.dudley.gov.uk/covidisolationpayment
USEFUL LINKS
You can find further support and advice via the links below:
www.dudley.gov.uk/council-community/emergencies/is-your-business-prepared
www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/
www.blackcountrychamber.co.uk/campaigns-projects/covid19-business-support