Covid-19 FAQs

Our Ref: HSR/1/3
Head Office Circular: NP/234/20
23rd September 2020
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
ALL SHIPPING BRANCHES
ALL REGIONAL COUNCILS

Dear Colleague,

COVID-19 FAQs

Network Rail has shared the latest update of the FAQ’s following the recent announcements from the government and devolved administrations. The FAQs have been aligned to the message of “work from home where possible”.

Although this is a Network Rail document, I am including other sectors such as shipping in the circulation as it contains some information which is pertinent to all members.

The full document can be viewed at: https://bit.ly/2FWUnlh

Section 5 of the FAQs provides a daily review of local lockdown restrictions.

A summary of the government announcements was supplied with the FAQ circulation this morning as per the below:

England

Written statement: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-22-september-2020?utm_source=c7328833-a02e-44eb-b03c-6607ed56a8d5&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

• 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.
• No requirement to shield
• No changes to informal child care bubbles and grandparent child care arrangements announced earlier in the week
• No conferences
• Car sharing should be avoided
• Face coverings required in taxis and private hire cars. £200 fine for first breach
• Pubs to close by 10pm
• 15 to a wedding, 30 to a funeral, 6 in a team sport

Scotland

• You must continue to work from home where practicable
• You should only car share with members of your own, or extended, household, and follow guidance when there is no alternative
Inside people’s homes (from Wednesday 23 September 2020)
• Do not meet people from any other households in your home or another person’s home socially, unless they are in your extended household
• These rules also apply to children
• Children whose parents do not live in the same household can move between homes, as can non-cohabiting couples
• Very limited exemptions apply for childcare, and for tradespeople
Private gardens or public outdoors spaces (from Wednesday 23 September 2020)
• A maximum of six people from two households can meet in outdoor spaces
• You should limit as far as possible the total number of households you meet in a day
• Under-12s do not count towards the maximum number of households or number of people who can meet outdoors. Under-12s do not have to physically distance
• A maximum of six 12 to 17 year olds can meet in outdoor spaces, with no household limit. Physical distancing is still required indoors in public spaces (from tomorrow, Wednesday September 23 2020)
• A maximum of six people from two households can meet in public indoor spaces such as cafes, pubs and restaurants
• Children under 12 from those two households do not count towards the limits
Hospitality (from 00:01 Friday 25 September 2020)
• Pubs, restaurants and all hospitality settings will be required to close at 10pm
• Table service will continue to be required in all hospitality premises

Wales

Written statement: https://gov.wales/written-statement-keeping-wales-safe-coronavirus

• Anyone over 11 to wear a face mask in an indoor space
• Work from home wherever possible
• Only travel where necessary
• Local lockdowns now state that residents cannot leave the lockdown area without reasonable excuse (work qualifies as a reasonable excuse)
• No household bubbles/extended households in areas of local restrictions
• only six people from the same exclusive extended household group can meet indoors
• Pubs and venues to close at 10pm and table service
• Off licences to close at 10pm


Please make the contents of this Circular available to all appropriate members.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash
General Secretary