Businesses are being called upon to continue to support the fight against covid-19 and pave the way for economic recovery by redoubling safety measures where possible.
As the vaccination programme brings fresh hope of a day when everyday life can function normally, business networks across the region have joined forces alongside the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership to reiterate how all businesses can continue to help to stop the spread.
In an open letter to the region’s business community, the partnership, the Federation of Small Businesses and a number of local chambers of commerce are asking businesses and their employees across all sectors to pull together to help make the current lockdown “the moment when we beat back the virus sufficiently to enable our region’s economy to fully recover”.
The letter outlines five objectives to help businesses ensure they are maintaining their commitment to lockdown rules and guidance.
These include adopting working from home in all instances where possible; reviewing and strengthening covid-secure measures and minimising interaction between people in offices and supporting employees with care responsibilities.
Where business must continue on site in specific sectors, they should enforce strong management of covid-secure conditions, including three-ply face covering and encourage regular testing of staff.
Businesses are also being urged to ensure that contact tracing is undertaken in the workplace when a colleague tests positive for the virus and follow self-isolation rules accordingly.
Phil McCabe, Merseyside and Cheshire development manager at the federation, said: “We are all incredibly grateful for the sacrifices made by our wonderful NHS staff and frontline workers across education, emergency services and those essential shops that are still open.
“Now is the time to ensure we are all maintaining our support in stopping the spread of the virus, which has been fuelled by a strain that is almost twice as infectious – we need to keeping pulling together and be ready to tackle our region’s economic recovery.”
