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<p>Throughout the pandemic, all Civil Service employers have followed government guidance
in setting out their internal COVID-19 related policies. This includes complying with
the<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19" target="_blank">
Working Safely during Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance</a> which sets out the key
actions organisations should take to protect employees and customers in order to reduce
the risk of COVID-19 spreading in workplaces, along with carrying out<a href="https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/risk-assessment.htm"
target="_blank"> health and safety risk assessments</a> that include the ongoing risk
from COVID-19.</p><p>On 21 February 2022, the Government published their <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-living-with-covid-19"
target="_blank"><em>COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19</em></a><em>.</em> This
document sets out how and when the remaining restrictions will be lifted in England.
Government guidance was subsequently amended, including the <em>Working Safely </em>guidance.</p><p>The
Government’s <em>Working Safely</em> guidance continues to require organisations to
carry out a risk assessment which includes the risk from COVID-19. It also sets out
additional actions organisations can take to protect employees and customers in the
workplace, such as ensuring adequate ventilation, frequent cleaning, asking people
to wash their hands frequently and asking people with COVID-19 to stay away. The guidance
advises that people continue to wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed settings
where they come into contact with people they do not normally meet, when rates of
transmission are high. Civil Service employers will continue to follow this guidance
and align their policies accordingly.</p><p>We continue to also follow guidance issued
by the Devolved Administrations and other countries in which we operate.</p>
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