Bucks, Beds & Herts union fears removal all Covid restrictions 'too much, too soon'
UCU concerned vulnerable people will be forced back in to the workplace
Many working in Higher Education across the East and Home Counties, feel the Government's decision to remove all Covid restrictions is 'too much, too soon'.
While there are fears that this could see clinically vulnerable employees be forced to work in person, again.
From Thursday, those who test positive for the virus won't be legally obliged to self-isolate, but the advice remains that you should stay at home for five days.
Free universal testing will be massively scaled back from April 1st, and will instead be focused on those who are particularly at risk from the disease.
Boris Johnson has said “the sun is shining but we’re keeping our umbrella” in the fight against coronavirus, ahead of a landmark relaxation Covid restrictions.
The Prime Minister set out the Government’s strategy for “living with Covid” on Monday afternoon.
Speaking later at a Downing Street press conference, he hailed the development of vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 as “possibly the greatest national effort in our peacetime history”.
But he said “we should be clear that the pandemic is not over”, warning “there may be significant resurgences”.
Speaking at a Downing Street Press conference, Prof Whitty said: “As we look at the next weeks, we still have high rates of Omicron and I would urge people in terms of public health advice, and this is very much the Government’s position, that people should still if they have Covid try to prevent other people getting it and that means self-isolating.
“So, that is the public health advice.
“It would have been the public health advice, and will be the public health advice, for multiple other diseases.
“If you had Norovirus we would give exactly the same public health advice.
“So this is standard public health advice for a significant and highly transmissible infection.”
Ben Monks, regional support officer for the University College Union in the East and Home Counties, told Greatest Hits Radio that many are anxious about what the latest Government plans could bring: "Estimates that things like hospitalisations are going to rise by up to 80%, as a result of the reduction of measures that are in currently in place- is really worrying.
"I think there isn't any need for it either. The last thing people need is an unnecessary level of worry to go with them going into work.
"There does need to be a more measured approach to it, one where there is clear evidence. Our colleagues in the British Medical Association have expressed very strong concerns about stepping away from protections where there isn't a scientific case, I think the Government have got to proceed with caution and I think they would be better placed to keep some measures".
He went on to say those defined as clinically vulnerable need protection: "Employers should ensure that where people are in that position, they are not forced into a situation where they have to engage in face-to-face teaching.
"We need to make use the technology is available, along with online-teaching opportunities so that people aren't put at that increased risk. The concern is that pressure is going to increase on those clinically vulnerable members to be back in the workplace".
Mr Monks concluded by saying that clarity and leadership is vitally needed, moving forwards: "Concerns from our members have been coming through and not just from those who are clinically vulnerable.
"We know from our dialogues with employers that they are dealing with those concerns as well. But, I think we do need to have some very clear guidance from Government, not just kicking it to local authorities to make their own decisions about this".