Covid-19 statistics are causing serious concern in Essex and employers and employees in different sectors are backing a call for everyone to follow Covid-19 guidelines in order to keep Essex working, safeguard jobs and save lives and livelihoods.
In the seven days to 26 November, there were 2,058 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Essex and businesses across the county say that social distancing both outside and inside work is of vital importance to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Advanced manufacturer Teledyne e2v; construction firm Rose Builders Ltd; software company Objective IT and care provider Brentwood Care Centre, have made a film with Dr. Mike Gogarty, Director of Public Health at Essex County Council, to stress the significance of people respecting ‘Hands, Face, Space’ wherever they are.
Miles Adcock, Site Director at advanced manufacturer Teledyne e2v in Chelmsford, says: “If we can stay safe at work and also be safe at home, then we play our part in not spreading this disease between our places of work and into society, where families have relatives and more vulnerable people to protect. We’re all in it together, it’s all part of the same system.”
Torie Pollard, General Manager, Brentwood Care Centre, says: “It’s really important for our staff to stay well. We couldn’t manage the care provision to our residents unless our staff are responsible both inside and outside of work to maintain their own health and wellbeing.”
Lara Fox, Director – Objective IT in Great Baddow, says: “The team here all know they have to be responsible collectively. I have grandparents in their nineties and I wouldn’t want any harm to come to them. The team knows that, respects that, and it’s all about caring about each other.”
Andy Gaut, Systems Designer, Objective IT, says: “I’ve got two daughters that are asthmatic. So if any of us got Covid it could be quite devastating.”
Stephen Rose, Managing Director, Rose Builders Ltd in Manningtree, says: “It was quite clear to us that construction should keep working, to support the economy. We closed for a couple of days to get the safety measures in place and then carried on working.”
David Pilgrim, Assistant Site Manager, Rose Builders Ltd, says: “On site we restrict the amount of tradesmen in the houses and when we’re not working we’re careful too because we want to keep ourselves and our families well and keep working.”
Dr Mike Gogarty, Director of Public Health, Essex County Council, says: “Hands, Face, Space remains a really important message. Both in the workplace and away from the workplace it’s essential that people practice good Covid-19 secure hygiene measures. Particularly important to these is social distancing. If you don’t go within two metres of somebody, and somebody doesn’t go within two metres of you, you will never give them the infection and they will never give you the infection.”
Essex County Council continues to offer support for employers and businesses for keeping workplaces safe from Covid-19 and in sustaining their businesses during the pandemic.
Business support includes access to 12 hours of direct support via an Essex County Council service aimed at helping Essex get ‘Back to Business’. Call 0800 970 8981.
Essex County Council has recently given additional funding for environmental health activity in town centres and high streets to positively support Covid-19 compliance, including signage about social distancing, public information campaigns and Street Ambassadors.
