Covid Guidance UK Operations 19 December 2021

We are currently seeing increasing numbers of Covid cases around the UK with the new Omicron strain.  

Where possible and safe to do so, we prefer to continue our operations as our beneficiaries often depend on our services and ceasing operations can cause anxiety and be destabilizing. It is essential we make comprehensive risk assessments and take every precaution possible to ensure a safe environment for both our volunteers and our beneficiaries.  If you are in doubt, please consult your regional lead.

Precautions

Your regional lead can provide a template for Covid risk assessments and help you to complete these for your specific activities.

• If possible, avoid public transport.  If not possible, ensure you are wearing a face covering and wash or sanitize your hands before and after.
• If possible, distribute or perform activities outside.
• If not possible to distribute outside, ensure the room or area is as well ventilated as possible by opening windows and doors.
• Please ensure all volunteers are registered for track and trace purposes
• Every volunteer should declare to their lead that they have no covid symptoms and have not been in contact with anyone with covid or covid symptoms in the last 10 days.
• Please do everything possible to ensure social distancing on distributions. We understand this is difficult when asylum seekers live together and may see themselves as one ‘bubble’ but we do not want anything that we do to cause them harm.  The easiest way to ensure distancing is to mark this out on the floor, either using plastic markers or with chalk. Please see the images above.
• Please ensure that at all times face coverings are worn by everyone involved in all activities.
• Ensure all surfaces and equipment are wiped down before and after all activities.
• Provide sufficient hand sanitizer for use before, after and during activities.
• Ensure all donations are quarantined for 24 hours before distribution.

Overall, please prioritise your own safety and that of those you are helping, but remember that for those of you who are able to get involved, you can make a bigger difference than ever.

We will support you as much as we can.  Please get in touch with your regional lead if you have any questions.

For further information on UK Covid restrictions and how to stay safe please consult: www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do