Home secretary: 'We will expect social distancing in every single work area'

The government “will expect social distancing in every single work area” when the lockdown is lifted, home secretary Priti Patel has said.

The Home Affairs Select Committee was told “new norms” would be introduced and society would not return to its pre-lockdown state, with government currently working on guidelines to move into the next phase.

Patel said: “There is a job to do in securing workplaces [before employees return]. The fact of the matter is we will not go back to how we were in early March; there will be new norms that will inevitably come from the way that social distancing is dominating our lives and affecting society.

“We will expect social distancing in every single work area, whether an office or a construction site and social distancing on public transport going forward.”

Dominic Raab extended the lockdown for three further weeks on 16 April, around when a further announcement will be made.

The government has said five restrictions will need to be met before it lifts the lockdown; ensuring the NHS can cope; a 'sustained and consistent' fall in the daily death rate; the rate of infection being at 'manageable levels'; supplies of tests and PPE able to meet future demand; and confidence that changes would not risk a second peak.

Many hospitality operators have said their businesses would not be able to operate profitably under very restrictive social distancing guidelines. However, The Caterer has spoken to those planning for what the ‘new normal’ could look like.

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