COVID-19
PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTIONS – GUIDANCE FOR BUSINESSES
Effective from 29 March 2020
Introduction – please read carefully
The Bailiwick’s public health objective has not changed: to minimise contactsbetween households as far as possible so that we can reduce the rate of transmission of the virus and number of COVID-19 cases, ensuring that our health care system is not overwhelmed.
The core instruction to our community has not changed – “STAY AT HOME”: you should not leave your home except to exercise, to buy necessary food and supplies, for medical appointments or to work – where that work is essential.
What is now being revised is the definition of essential.
On Friday (27 March) the States issued guidance to business on essential working during this 2-week period of stronger measures to combat the spread of Covid-19. We are revising this guidance today for two reasons:
- The evolving situation in relation to public health; and
- Our community’s understandable request for greater clarity on
essential working.
This guidance over-rides the previous guidance with immediate effect. You must follow it in order to operate your business lawfully.
Employers must ensure they and their employees can comply with social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
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The revised guidance – effective from 29 March 2020
There are six important points that you must read if you operate a business:
1. You will not be able to operate your business if your premises, business or trade are one of the following types:
o Licensed premises (pubs and clubs).o Takeaway food premises.
o Beach and other kiosks.
o Cinemas and theatres.
o Restaurants and cafes.
o Retail outlets, other than certain essential retail outlets (see revised list A below).o Libraries.
o Community and youth centres.
o Car, boat and bicycle repair, other than to repair vehicles of essential workers (see
below)
o Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities.
o Outdoor trades, apart from for reasons in paragraph 4 (below))
o Community places within parks.
o Places of worship.
o Hotels, guest houses, any other premises used for the purpose of the provision of
sleeping accommodation, board, lodging or board and lodging for reward and campsites.
2. If your business premises type is not listed above, then you can ONLY operate your business if you adhere to strict conditions. Work should now be undertaken remotely (ie from home) and if it can’t, the presence of a maximum of ONLY TWO people is permitted on the premises at any one time. This is dependent upon the employer being able to comply and abide by the strict social distancing requirements in place (people should be spaced more than 2 metres apart) and adhere to hygiene guidelines that have been issued. If you need to ask any questions in relation to this please e-mail trade@gov.gg.
3. The only exception to this is if your business has workers that are defined as essential (see list B below). In this case you may operate your business as usual from your premises or other premises, ensuring that you are able to comply and abide by the strict social distancing requirements in place (people should be spaced more than 2 metres apart) and adhere to hygiene guidelines.
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4. Essential emergency home building repair and maintenance works may be carried out by plumbers, electricians, roofers, scaffolders and all others (repair and maintenance personnel) who reasonably and necessarily provide essential emergency home building repair and maintenance services under the authorisation dated 26th March 2020 issued by the Committee for Health and Social Care. Repair and maintenance personnel must adopt practices designed to minimise risks to health wherever possible and practical, including maintenance of social distancing of at least 2 metres and adherence to hygiene guidelines.
5. Essential emergency repairs by car, motorcycle and bicycle repair businesses to vehicles of essential workers who need to use their vehicles to get to and from work or for the purpose of work in accordance with the authorisation dated 29th March 2020 issued by the Committee for Health and Social Care. Vehicle repair and maintenance personnel must adopt practices designed to minimise wherever possible and practical risks to health, including maintenance of social distancing of at least 2 metres and adherence to hygiene guidelines.
6. Outdoor trades other than those referred to at 4 above (such as gardening, window cleaning, building) and other domestic trades that can be operated by one or two people (eg domestic cleaning, painting and decorating) are not considered essential and must cease from operating with immediate effect during this period.
We recognise that this will impact businesses of all sizes and sectors in a significant way. Please refer to https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=124144&p=0 to see the financial support measures that have been put in place. Further information can also be sought via business.support@gov.gg
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List A: Which retail outlets are classed as essential?
If you are a retailer, you may only allow people to enter your retail premises if the premises are classed as an essential retail outlet.
Essential retail outlets must abide by the strict social distancing requirements in place (people should be spaced more than 2 metres apart); adhere to hygiene guidelines; and ensure sale of only products that are usually provided from the premises or the types of businesses described below.
In all cases, the items listed as essential must be the primary items sold, either individually or combined and establishments should ensure that non-essential goods are not sold. No new product lines should be added to the items usually provided.
The following is a list of retail and wholesale premises and types of businesses that are considered essential retail outlets. This has been revised since the previous guidance and a number of categories removed. If your retail sector is not on the list it is not considered essential during this period:
o Retail and wholesale sale of food, beverages (including intoxicating liquor) and newspapers.
o Retail sale of household consumer products necessary to maintain the safety and sanitation of residences and businesses.
o Pharmacies/chemists and retailers providing pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical or dispensing services.
o Fuel stations and heating fuel providers.
o Retail sale of essential items for the health and welfare of animals, including animal
feed and medicines, animal food, pet food and animal supplies including bedding.o Laundries.
o Banks, loan agencies, post offices, insurance brokers.
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List B: Which types of workers are classed as essential?
The following is a list of what are considered essential workers:
Private sector employers falling within the below categories should determine which roles are essential to the ability to maintain critical services. This list has been revised from the previous guidance and horticultural workers have been removed.
Workers ESSENTIAL to the functioning of any activity necessary to:
o Ensuring the continuing supply and accessibility of food and other essential goods including
Supermarkets and grocery stores
Air and sea freight transport
Stevedores and other necessary port management activities Freightoperators
o Ensure the continuing supply and accessibility of veterinary and animal health and husbandry services
o Ensuring continuing health and community care services including
- GP surgeries/medical practices/dental practices
- Opticians/audiologists
- Pharmacies
- Residentialandnursinghomes
- Privateandthirdsectoragenciesprovidingcareservicesinahomeorother
setting (including the care of animals)
Volunteersthatprovideservicestothoseinneed(MealsonWheels,
Samaritans, etc)
Those responsible for management of the deceased
o Those essential to law and order Advocates and staff
o Those providing private school services and daytime childcare Private primary and secondary schools
Nurseries and day-care services
o Those maintaining critical national infrastructure (essential staff)
Utilities (water, electricity, gas, oil, post)
Telecomsproviders(essentialstaffrequiredtodelivermobileandfixedline
telecommunication services)o Those maintaining public transport
Bus operators and school transport providers5
o Public service broadcasters and other mainstream news media
o Banking services
Staffthatarecriticaltoprovidingbranch-basedservicestoenablecashand
other financial transactions
Staff involved in maintaining critical economic infrastructure that requires
on-site systems access
o Services that ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of working environments that can be undertaken while adhering to social distancing guidelines
Public service workers ESSENTIAL to the functioning of:
o Courts and Judicial Services
o Health and Social Care
o Education
o Emergency Services (Law Enforcement, Ambulance, Fire and Coastguard)o Prison
o Law Officers
o States Works
o Guernsey Waste
o Ports
o Regulatory roles directly related to financial stability and banking supervision
o Treasury
o Social Security
o Animal welfare
o Ancillary staff from the private or public sectors who are essential to supporting
the States of Guernsey’s response to COVID-19, or civil servants or office holders specified by the Policy and Finance Committee of the States of Alderney, or the Policy and Finance Committee of the Chief Pleas of Sark, as the case may be.
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Other information
Q. I operate a commercial garage servicing vehicles and/or motorcycles, what should I do?
Garages undertaking the repair of vehicles and motorcycles should pause from business as usual trading with immediate effect. You may provide repair services for those meeting the definition of essential workers or those otherwise authorised by the Committee for Health and Social Care through carrying out emergency repairs and maintenance by arrangement only. If you do then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing and adherence to hygiene guidelines is in place when you provide emergency services.
Q. I operate a delivery company, moving goods around the Island. What should I do?
All of the Bailiwick’s couriers, shipping agents and postal workers are classified as ‘Essential Workers’ and therefore the delivery of goods around the Island should continue unaffected.It is advisable that all essential workers have up to date identification with them when at work and travelling to and from work should this be requested by the relevant authorities. If you do open your business then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained as practicably as possible. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
Q. I operate a building and plumbing supplies company. What should I do?
Hardware stores, builders’ merchants and stores must cease from business as usual trading with immediate effect. You may provide products to essential workers and to repair and maintenance personnel providing emergency repairs and maintenance by arrangement only. If you do then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing is in place when you provide emergency products. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines.
Q. I am an electrician/plumber/builder/carpenter/roofer/scaffolder. What should I do?
Further to an authorisation issued by the Committee for Health & Social Care, in the event of a home emergency and building repair and maintenance – plumbers, electricians, roofers, scaffolders and all others (repair and maintenance personnel), who reasonably and necessarily need to enter homes to provide essential emergency home and building repair and maintenance services are authorised to do so. If you do provide emergency building repair and maintenance services then you must ensure that you put in place measures, wherever possible and practical bearing in mind the nature and severity of the emergency, to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
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Q. I run a roofing company and I have jobs still to finish, what should I do?
Further to an Authorisation issued by the Committee for Health & Social Care in the event of a home emergency and building repair and maintenance – plumbers, electricians, roofers, scaffolders and all others (repair and maintenance personnel), who reasonably and necessarily need to enter homes to provide essential emergency home and building repair and maintenance services are authorised to do so. If you do provide emergency building repair and maintenance services then you must ensure that you put in place measures, wherever possible and practical bearing in mind the nature and severity of the emergency, to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
Q. I run a pet store/veterinary business – can I continue to operate?
All pet stores/veterinary businesses providing items for health and welfare of animals, including animal feed and medicines, animal food, pet food, animal supplies including bedding can remain open. If you do open your business then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. Telephone and internet sales would be preferable where possible.
Q. I run an off-licence selling alcohol – can I continue to operate?
The retail and wholesale sale of food, beverages and newspapers is an essential business and, where it involves the sale of intoxicating liquor, must be in accordance with the relevant applicable alcohol licensing regulations. If you do open your business then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. If this is not possible then you will not be able to open. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. It would be preferable that where goods can be delivered that companies offers a home delivery service. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
Q. I run a garden plant centre – can I continue to operate?
Stores (which may include garden plant centres) that provide hardware products necessary for home and business maintenance, sanitation and farm equipment, supplies for gardening/farming/agriculture must cease trading with immediate effect.
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Q. I am a taxi driver – can I continue to operate?
All of the Island’s taxi drivers are ‘Essential Workers’ and therefore the provision of publictransport around the Island should continue unaffected. It is advisable that all Essential Workers have up to date identification with them when at work and travelling to and from work should this be requested by the relevant authorities. If you do open your business then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained as practicably as possible. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines.
Q. I operate a business providing goods or services which are not essential – can I continue to operate?
If your business is not operated from an essential retail outlet and does not use essential workers as defined in the guidance, then you must now cease trading with immediate effect. Outdoor businesses such as window cleaning, gardening, decorating and outdoor building trades must cease trading with immediate effect while these measures are in place.
Q. I am a marine engineer/boat repairer – can I continue to operate?
You must cease from business as usual trading with immediate effect. You may provide services to essential businesses carrying out emergency repairs and maintenance by arrangement only. If you do then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing is in place when you provide emergency repairs and maintenance. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines.
Q. I run a small holding/I am a small home producer – can I continue to operate?
You must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. Goods should be delivered and not collected by customers in person. If this is not possible then you will not be able to open. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
Q. I operate a domestic cleaning service – can I continue to operate?
Your business must cease from trading with immediate effect.
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Q. I operate a dry cleaners and laundry providing critical supplies for the health service –can I continue to operate?
Laundry businesses can continue to operate. Dry cleaning business must cease to operate with immediate effect. If you do open your laundry business then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. If this is not possible then you will not be able to open. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
Q. I operate a cleaning service for offices and other working environments – can I continue to operate?
Those workers providing cleaning services for offices and other working environments for‘Essential Workers’ are also classed as ‘Essential Workers’, and so may continue to provide a service. However, when providing services you should ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. If this is not possible then you must not provide the service. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
Q. I operate a large superstore selling a wide range of goods – Can I still operate?
Large superstores which operate businesses of types that are described in the list of essential retail outlets may continue to operate those businesses but only selling essential goods and services. If you do open your business then you must ensure that you put in place measures to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. If this is not possible then you will not be able to open. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
Q. I operate a domestic heating/boiler engineer service – can I continue to operate?
Further to an Authorisation issued by the Committee for Health & Social Care In the event of a Home Emergency – Plumbers, electricians, roofers, scaffolders and all others (repair and maintenance personnel), who reasonably and necessarily need to enter homes to provide essential emergency home and building repair and maintenance services are authorised to do so. If you do provide emergency building repair and maintenance services then you must ensure that you put in place measures, wherever possible and practical bearing in mind the nature and severity of the emergency, to ensure that social distancing of both your workforce and customers is maintained. You must also ensure adherence to hygiene guidelines. You should only travel to and from your place of work to provide those services.
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Further information and contact details
If you have any further information on the public health restrictions and how they affect your business, please email trade@gov.gg or call 743803. Please note that this telephone number will not be manned at the weekend. If you need advice over the weekend, please send enquiries to trade@gov.gg and we will contact you as soon as possible.
If you require further information on financial support for your business please e-mail business.support@gov.gg.
