Government needs to strike right balance once lockdown measures are eased

The first directions in the government’s road map in the gradual relaxation of the lockdown will be given by Boris Johnson on Sunday.

In a nationwide TV address to the nation, the Prime Minister will give the first details of the road ahead and some of the government’s timing on the process.

On Thursday the lockdown will be legally reviewed by the government, but it would seem very unlikely that there would be any drastic alteration to cut the lockdown.

In fact, the Prime Minister might well extend it. The feeling from newspaper opinion polls over the weekend has been such that the government must be extremely wary of any sort of dash to end the lockdown because people are still very worried about their health and the spread of the virus.

The government are also very conscious of what they see as the success of the lockdown mantra of staying at home to save lives and the NHS.

A very clear message. It has obviously worked. It has been a bold, frightening communication.

What will be the more nuanced message that the prime minister will want to encourage as the lockdown is gradually relaxed?

Extremely difficult and certainly not straightforward for a nation becoming acclimatised used to living in lockdown.

Over the weekend, trade unions and business groups, including the British Chambers of Commerce of which Business West is a part, were asked to submit initial ideas for business to get back to work safely.

According to the Times political editor Francis Elliott today these draft guidelines included the following:

•Only people who cannot work from home should be asked to go in

•More parking spaces and cycle racks should be provided as fewer workers use public transport

•Pass-operated turnstiles that could create bottlenecks are discouraged

•Sharing desks should be stopped or reduced

•The maximum number of people in a lift should be reduced

•One-way systems should be used to reduce contacts

•Shifts should be staggered to reduce contact at work

•Hand sanitisers and screens should be provided for staff

•Meetings rooms should be well ventilated and used only if necessary

•Workplaces should be cleaned more frequently

These initial ideas don’t appear to mention PPE or face masks at all. 

I would have thought that when the Prime Minster gives details of his comprehensive road map on Sunday he will talk about face masks in terms of them being “useful” as he said last week.

Certainly, many employees would probably want their wearing as a stipulation of returning to work.

Without doubt, the decisions the prime minister will be making this week about the whole process of relaxation to get the economy moving again will be part of the biggest he will ever take in Downing Street.

Business must help him to get it right.