Director for Public Health issues reminder to businesses and workers in Stockport

Business owners and employers are working hard to keep their employees, staff and teams safe, helping to stop the spread of coronavirus in Stockport.

Jen Connolly, Director of Public Health for Stockport, is grateful for all the hard work being carried out but is reminding businesses of the importance in not letting standards slip:

Rates of coronavirus are reducing, but slowly, and this is against the background of the presence of a new highly-transmissible virus variant.  This means that the virus can spread more easily within settings where people still meet and work together.  The vast majority of work settings have good rules and procedures in place for keeping everyone safe, but what matters is that people adhere to them at all times – now more than ever.  It only takes a small transgression for the virus to spread.  This is a matter of safety for our workforce and communities, as well as business continuity. 

Please:

1) revisit your safe working processes

2) reiterate their importance in the current situation with your teams

3) make sure you know how to respond if any staff or clients in your setting test positive.  “

Stockport Council has included advice on for businesses on best practice to minimise the risk of the spread of coronavirus in the workplace on its website.

While coronavirus transmission rates have continued to steadily fall in Stockport and now stand at 260 cases per 100,000 (as of 29th January 2021), the new strain which emerged in South East England, is around 50-70% more infectious than previous variants and accounts for three-quarters of new cases in the borough. Bed occupancy at Stepping Hill Hospital is currently at its highest level since the beginning of the pandemic, with deaths and hospitalisations sadly expected to increase further in the coming rates.

In her weekly public health statement on the coronavirus, Jen Connolly reiterated the guidance for all to help keep infection rates falling in Stockport:

Please continue to follow guidance around social distancing (two metres), wearing face coverings (unless exempt) and be scrupulous about infection control and hygiene, so wash or sanitising hands regularly. Do not enter enclosed spaces without a mask (unless exempt). Stay in well ventilated places – if you’re inside this means having the windows open for at least 15/20 minute every hour. This will all help to keep you and others safe.

We are also still under lockdown restrictions, so we should be staying at home and restricting contacts outside our homes – you should not leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

Only leave your house for food, exercise, medical reasons or work if unable to do this from home but keep working from home if you are able. For information about what you can and cannot do visit GOV.UK.

For information on how you might look after your health and wellbeing, please visit our Health and Wellbeing pages or for ways to remain healthy, please visit Healthy Stockport.

Please remember that if you’re finding things tough right now, we have lots of offers of help and support, please do reach out. We’ve listed them all here: https://www.stockport.gov.uk/mental-wellbeing-support-coronavirus
If you have a new continuous cough, high temperature, or a change or loss of smell/taste – however mild, stay at home and book a test via GOV.UK or by phoning 119. You and your household members must self-isolate while you await your results. If found positive, stay home for 10 days. Household members must stay at home for 10 days. Minimise transmission within your home by staggering use of the bathroom, giving each person their own towel, and keeping kitchens and bathrooms clean.
If told to self-isolate through the NHS Covid 19 app you must follow the instruction.

The council’s Coronavirus helpline and website can be accessed on 0161 217 6046 from Monday – Thursday from 9.00am – 5pm and Friday from 9.00am – 4:30pm. If you’re deaf or have difficulty hearing, you can use our textphone on 07860 022 876. Find out more by visiting our helpline page.