Important reminder of Covid-19 preventative controls

Covid-19

Important reminder of Covid-19 preventative controls – let’s stay vigilant and all play our part

 

As the UK moves out of restrictions, it is important that there is no relaxation of the control measures in place to keep ourselves, our family and our customers safe.

Hands – wash hands regularly, use hand sanitiser and sanitising wipes to clean shared items or surfaces.

 Space – please ensure you maintain social distancing.

Face coverings are mandatory in indoor settings – Regardless as to whether you have yet received the Covid vaccination or not, and with the easing of lockdown restrictions, mandatory face coverings in indoor settings continues to be a mandatory requirement.

Exemption evidence; evidence can be shown to either a Royal Mail Manager or to your Agency the evidence will not be retained, nor will any information about the reason. If you show your evidence to your Agency, they must e-mail Royal Mail to advise you are exempt.

Workers who are hard of hearing and who rely on lipreading can share any concerns they may have around face coverings with a manager onsite and discuss options to resolve any communication barriers. We do understand the communication barrier with opaque face coverings, and, where colleagues would like to wear a clear face covering, these can be purchased locally and claimed back your recruitment agency. Any clear face coverings worn must meet basic safety requirements and be comfortable to wear.

 

Twice weekly rapid testing available to everyone in England

 

Alongside the roll out of the vaccine, regular testing is going to be an essential part of the easing of restrictions. From 9 April 2021, anyone in England has been able to access free, rapid lateral flow tests (LFDs) for themselves and their families to use twice a week, in line with clinical guidance. In Wales, testing is available for those who do not work from home and do not have symptoms from 16 April – testing kits can be collected from locations around the country.

For testing guidance in other UK countries, please see specific guidance for Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

One in three people with COVID-19 do not experience any symptoms and may be spreading the virus without knowing it. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately, breaking chains of transmission and saving lives.

The expanded regular testing offer for people without symptoms will be delivered through:

  • a home ordering service, which allows people to order lateral flow tests online to be delivered to their home.
  • workplace testing programmes, on-site or at home (we continue to pilot employee testing).
  • community testing, offered by all local authorities.
  • collection at a local PCR test site during specific test collection time windows.
  • testing on-site at schools and colleges.

A new ‘Pharmacy Collect’ service is also launching which will provide an additional route to regular testing. People aged over 18 without symptoms will be able to visit a participating local pharmacy and collect a box of seven rapid tests to use twice a week at home.

The best route for testing can be found on the GOV.UK website. If anyone tests positive or gets coronavirus symptoms, they should:

A negative result means the test did not find signs of coronavirus. But, this does not guarantee you do not have coronavirus, so we should keep following our Covid-secure arrangements and continue to follow all coronavirus advice including ‘Hands, Face, Space’ messaging.

Thank you for your continued support, please continue to do all you can to keep yourself and others safe.