Managing covid risk

Contents

• If you provide unpaid support for a friend or family member, read the government guidance on staying safe.
• If you are a volunteer, you should read the government guidance on how to help safely.
• If you are an organisation or group wanting to involve volunteers safely and effectively, read the government guidance on enabling safe and effective volunteering during coronavirus 
• If you receive support from a voluntary organisation and want to know what you and the people helping you should do to limit the spread of coronavirus, read getting support outside of your home on gov.uk.

The roadmap out of national lockdown

• Under the government's roadmap out of national lockdown, as of 29 March, the stay at home message has ended. The government has asked that people 'minimise travel'. Holidays are still not allowed.
• Under the first step of the government’s roadmap out of national lockdown, you should:
• Keep yourself and others safe - stay 2m apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble where possible or 1m with extra precautions in place.
• Work - work from home if you can.
• Volunteering - continue to volunteer from home where possible. To learn more about volunteering during this time, see our involving volunteering section. 
• Education and childcare - attend early years settings, schools and colleges - these are now open. Other higher education students should continue to learn remotely. See government guidance on education and childcare for further information.
• Meeting others - not mix indoors except with your household or support bubble. You can meet outdoors, including in private outdoor spaces and other outdoor public spaces, in groups of six people or two households.
• Travel - minimise travel as much as possible. Avoid the busiest times and routes.
• Holiday - not go on holiday in the UK or abroad. You could be fined £5000 for travelling abroad without reasonable excuse.  
• There are still circumstances where you can meet larger groups outside your household, these include:
• Where your place of work remains open and you cannot work from home 
• Where you are providing voluntary or charitable services, where you cannot do this from home. This includes provision in other people’s homes, see guidance on working safely in other people’s homes.
• Where you provide care or assistance to someone vulnerable or respite for a carer
• For formal support groups that have to be delivered in person. These may continue to be delivered in person at premises other than a private home with up to 15 participants aged 5 years and older.
• To take part in formally organised outdoor sports with any number of people.
• Further information about the exemptions to the gathering limit are detailed in government guidance. 
• As of 12 April, parts of the visitor economy are allowed to re-open. This includes the following.
• Outdoor recreation and visitor attractions. Indoor areas must remain closed. 
• Non-essential retail including charity shops.  Read the latest covid-19 guidance from the Charity Retail Association.
• Indoor sports facilities. 
• Self-contained accommodation. 
• Outdoor areas at hospitality venues. 
• Business meeting/event show rounds, viewing and site visits. 
• Some outdoor events. Read our guidance on following appropriate government guidance: organised events.
• For further information on the re-opening of the visitor economy, read working safely during coronavirus: the visitor economy on GOV.UK.
• For further information on what you can and can’t do under the government’s roadmap, see guidance on coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do on GOV.UK.
• National restrictions are still set out in law with penalties for non-compliance. Police will have powers to take action, issue fines and break up gatherings.

Essential guidance for everyone 

• The government asks everyone to consider:
• 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 two metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or at least one metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing a face covering or increasing ventilation indoors).
• Fresh air - stay outdoors when meeting people not in your household or support bubble.

Covid-19 testing

• Everyone in England can access free, regular, rapid, covid-19 testing. Find a rapid, lateral flow test site in your area.
• All charities or voluntary organisations, registered in England, with staff and/or volunteers who cannot work from home, can sign up to receive the rapid lateral flow test kits by registering on GOV.UK. Employers must register by 11:59pm on 12 April 2021 to order the test kits.
• If you have not registered, you can: 
• pay an approved provider to provide tests or run a test site for you 
• ask your staff to check if they can get a rapid lateral flow test to do at home or at a test site.
• Employers can refer essential workers for testing if they are self-isolating because either they or a member of their household has covid-19 symptoms.  They can do this by uploading the names and contact details of self-isolating essential workers to the government’s secure employer referral portal.  Read more information about getting tested on gov.uk.
• Employers may want to consider introducing a specific policy to outline their approach to covid-19 testing for staff and volunteers. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development have developed a template mass-testing for covid-19 policy which adopts a voluntary approach. 
• Following the government’s announcement that schools and colleges re-opened on 8 March 2021, the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership have developed some resources to assist schools and colleges with rapid covid-19 testing.

Covid-19 vaccination programme

• An effective vaccine is the best way to protect people from covid-19.  Public Health England have a range of resources on the covid-19 vaccines.
• Covid-19 vaccines are being given to priority groups identified by the government’s Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI)
• Prioritisation for vaccination is primarily based upon age.  Priority groups identified by the JCVI include:
  • residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
  • all those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
  • all those 75 years of age and over
  • all those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
• Find out more information about the vaccine priority groups.
• Covid-19 vaccines are being delivered by: 
• hospital hubs 
• local vaccination service sites run by a mixture of primary care networks and community pharmacies 
• vaccination centres located in large-scale venues. 
• Some charities will have staff and volunteers who are defined as ‘frontline health and social care workers.’  The JCVI define this group as:
  • those directly working with people clinically vulnerable to covid-19 who need care and support. Irrespective of:

• where they work (for example in people’s own homes, day centres, care homes for working age adults or supported housing)
• whether they care for clinically vulnerable adults or children
• who they are employed by (for example local government, NHS, private sector or the voluntary sector).

• Read more about what groups are considered ‘frontline health and social care workers’ on p.11 of the government’s greenbook
• Local authorities and NHS vaccination services are working in partnership to reach all eligible frontline health social care workers irrespective of the sector in which they work
• Individuals should not get in contact with the NHS to seek a vaccine.  The NHS will contact you.  When you are contacted, you should attend your appointment.  
• Find out more information about getting a vaccination appointment on the NHS website
• If as an employer, you feel that your staff and volunteers are frontline health and social care workers but have not been approached for vaccination, you can contact your local Hospital Hub.
• It is not yet clear how long people who are vaccinated will be protected from covid-19 or if it prevents transmission. 
• Once you have been vaccinated, you should still follow current government guidance including:
  • practice social distancing
  • wear a face mask
  • wash your hands carefully and frequently.
  Read more about what to expect after your covid-19 vaccination on GOV.UK.
• Read our guidance on how to support staff during the roll out of the vaccination programme.
• Read our blog on the barriers to mass vaccination and the role of charities and volunteers.

Running workplaces, activities and organised events safely 

• Under the government's roadmap out of national lockdown, the provision of charitable or voluntary services remains exempt from requirements where these services cannot reasonably be delivered from home.    
• Voluntary organisations continuing to provide services or which are planning to deliver services should make sure that they take steps to minimise risks of covid transmission.

Follow appropriate government guidance: Workplace 

• The government has published a suite of guidance on working safely during coronavirus. Each guide explains ways to reduce risk of covid transmission in a different type of space or activity.
• If your organisation runs a range of different activities or in different spaces you may need to consider multiple guidance documents. 
• You can access all guides on the working safely during coronavirus website. 
• Common guides which may be used by voluntary organisations include:

• multi-purpose community facilities: including links to additional guidance for running early years, youth, recreation, leisure and social gatherings
• offices and contact centres: guidance for people who work in or run offices, contact centres and similar indoor environments
• shops and branches
• providers of grassroots sport and gym/leisure facilities
• heritage locations
• performing arts, including arts organisations, venue operators and participants.
• There is specific government advice for businesses and organisations providing home care, supported living services and education and childcare. 
• The guidance is regularly updated. You should refer to guidance relevant to your work. 

Follow appropriate government guidance: Organised events

• Under the second step out of national lockdown, the government has published guidance to assist local authorities in ensuring that events can go ahead safely and in accordance with what is permitted at each stage of the government’s roadmap out of national lockdown. 
• From the 12th April, restricted, organised events such as car-boot sales and community fairs can take place if: 
• the event takes place outdoors
• attendees are expected to arrive and leave the event in a staggered manner throughout the day 
• it does not involve attendees converging or congregating in a site for a specific discrete performance or activity such as a theatre, music or performance.
• These events must follow covid-secure guidance and adhere to legal requirements. This includes the following. 
• Carrying out a risk assessment. See our guidance on risk assessments. 
• Ask people to wear face coverings where required to do so by law. See our guidance on face coverings. 
• Maintaining group sizes permitted by social contact restrictions. Meaning people can meet in groups of six people or two households.  
• Enforcing social-distancing guidelines  Ensuring where possible people stay two metres apart from people they do not live with or at least one metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing a face covering or increasing ventilation indoors).
• Provide adequate ventilation when people are in enclosed spaces.
• Turn people away with covid-19 symptoms.
• Avoid encouraging crowds.
• You must take part in the NHS Test and Trace. See our guidance on NHS Test and Trace. 

Read the organised events guidance for local authorities on GOV.UK. 

Working safely 

Where your team can not work from home, your organisation must take steps to comply with the government’s guidance on managing the risk of covid-19. 

The five key steps are as follows.

1. Carry out a covid-19 risk assessment.
2. Develop cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures. 
3. Help people to work from home where possible. 
4. Maintain 2m social distancing wherever possible. 
5. Where people cannot be 2m apart, manage transmission risk. 

Risk assessment

• Before restarting work, organisations must ensure the safety of their workplace by carrying out a risk assessment. 
• This risk assessment should be in line with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance. This includes guidance on what to consider in your covid-19 risk assessment. 
• There are legal obligations if you have five employees. If you have fewer than five employees you don’t have to write anything down, but it might help if you do.
• You must consult with the health and safety representative selected by a recognised trade union or, if there isn’t one, a representative chosen by workers. 
• Once you have completed your risk assessment you should share the results with your workforce and consider publishing the results on your website. 
• To help you manage and assess risks, watch our webinar on ‘assessing health and safety risks in uncertain times’ (broadcast on 20 May 2020).  
• Use our risk register template to help you identify and manage key risks.
• Zurich, an NCVO trusted supplier, has produced a risk insight to help you consider how to manage risks associated with covid-19. 

Reducing risks with your team

• Staff and volunteers should continue to work from home where possible. Read our guidance on supporting staff to work from home. 
• Where you have your team working or volunteering, you should consider ways to reduce significant mixing of different people. For example, you could consider alternating who is on your premises in fixed teams even with social distancing measures in place. 
• You could change working hours to reduce the amount of time people are on premises & to aid the staggering of arrival or departure times.

Cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures

• Cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures are key to reducing the risk of coronavirus in the workplace. HSE have produced guidance on cleaning, hygiene and hand sanitiser. 
• You should increase the level and frequency of cleaning to ensure that all surfaces and equipment are clean.  Pay close attention to high-contact objects like door handles and keyboards. 
• Consider providing handwashing facilities or hand sanitisers at entry and exit points. 
• Workplaces should use signs and posters to help employees and volunteers practice good hand washing techniques. GOV.UK has published clear and printable instructions on handwashing techniques (PDF, 130KB) which can be displayed around the workplace.    
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin. You can download a ’Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ poster (PDF, 940KB) for your workplace from the NHS.
• The National Eczema Society has offered advice on handwashing techniques for people with eczema and other skin conditions.

Manage risks in your space

• If your workplace is open, you should aim to ensure a 2m distance between people in your space and through your activities. This may include the following.
• Limiting the number of people allowed in a space/a room.
• Ensuring one-way traffic through the space.
• Putting up signs or using floor tape to remind employees about the social distancing measures.
• Using back-to-back or side-to-side working whenever possible.
• Increasing the ventilation of space. This can be as simple as opening doors, windows and vents. 
• Avoiding personal deliveries to the workplace. 
• Using screens or barriers where 2m can not be maintained.
• Using screens or barriers to separate people from each other.
• The government guidance on working safely during coronavirus has further ideas for ways to manage your space.

Use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

• The use of PPE is not required outside of clinical settings except for a small handful of roles such as first responders. 
• If your risk assessment does show that PPE is required, then you must provide this PPE free of charge to staff and volunteers who need it. Any PPE provided must fit properly. HSE has developed guidance on using PPE at work.  

Face coverings

• In England, face coverings must be worn in most indoor public settings.
• People aged over 11 are required by law to wear a face covering on public transport and in some indoor settings. This includes in community centres, youth centres and social clubs. Read the government guidance on face coverings.
• The government has advised that you should also wear a face covering in indoor spaces where social distancing will be difficult, and you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
• Face coverings must be worn by retail, leisure and hospitality staff working in areas that are open to the public and where they’re likely to come into contact with a member of the public.
• Failure to follow any of these rules will result in a fixed penalty fine.  
• Face covering needs to cover your mouth and nose. The government has developed guidance on how to wear a face covering. 
• Some people are exempt from the legal obligation to wear a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability or if doing so would cause distress. The reasons for this may not be visible and people should be encouraged rather than enforced to wear masks.

Informing people about staying safe

• The government has issued a notice for you to display in your workplace to confirm that you have complied with guidance on managing the risk of covid-19.
• If it is a legal obligation on people to wear a face covering, you should have signage on all entry points. 

Supporting NHS Test and Trace

• NHS Test and Trace helps reduce the spread of covid-19 by finding people who have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.  
• Hospitality, tourism and leisure venues, close contact services and local authority facilities (including community centres, libraries and village halls) must keep records of their staff, customers and visitors for NHS Test and Trace. A full list of organisations who must do this can be found in the government’s guidance.
• These venues must:
• ask every member of every group of customers or visitors (up to six people) for their contact details, including:  

• name  
• phone number, or if this is not available an email or postal address  
• date of visit  
• arrival time and, if possible, departure time 
• the name of their assigned staff member, if they have one.   
• In England, people can also give these details by checking in using an official NHS QR poster. However, you must have a way for people without a smartphone to give their contact details too. 
• Each person is responsible for making sure their contact details are correct. 
• If someone doesn’t want to give their details or gives incorrect information, you don’t need to refuse them entry unless you are a hospitality venue. However, you should encourage them to give their details and advise them their information will only be used to stop the spread of covid-19. 
• Read the government’s guidance on which visits are exempt from these rules.  
• Keep a record of all staff working on their premises each day, their shift times and their contact details. 
• Keep these records of customers, visitors and staff for 21 days, share them with NHS Test and Trace if asked, and securely dispose of or delete them after 21 days. 
• Display an official NHS QR code poster so that customers and visitors can ‘check in’ using this instead of giving their contact details if they choose to. Find out more about NHS QR codes and how to make them on the NHS covid-19 app website.   
• Follow General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 
• Contact details are personal data. You must follow GDPR rules to protect people’s privacy. Read the government’s guidance on GDPR. 
• The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published its own detailed guidance on collecting customer and visitor details for contact tracing. 
• The ICO has also issued a blog for community groups and COVID-19: what you need to know about data protection
• NHS Test and Trace or public health officers will only ask for these records if necessary, for example if your premises has been the location of a potential covid-19 outbreak. You and your staff must not share these records with anyone else. 
• These rules apply to any business or organisation that provides an on-site service and to any events that take place on its premises. 
• Failure to follow any of these rules will result in a fixed penalty fine.