The Welsh Government recommendation is still to work from home if possible and to keep 2 metres apart. If that is not feasible then suitable PPE should be worn, following government recommendations and guidelines.
Risk Assessment
It is highly recommended to carry out a risk assessment of the work being undertaken. This will differ depending on the situation as working situations vary widely. The risk assessment should focus on infection risk and control measures and should include the working environment, access to and from it and client contact. The Health and Safety Executive offers a range of tools and information including a COVID-19 Risk Assessment Template which is available here: -
Health and Safety Executives Risk Assessment Template.
It is recommended to keep a record of your risk assessment and to review it periodically. This is considered to be best practice and provides an audit trail should that be necessary.
COVID 19 Awareness Training
To understand and recoginise the risks associated with COVID-19 it might be advisable to undertake COVID-19 awareness training. There are several courses available on-line. Any course taken should include infection control, recognising signs and symptoms and minimising contagion risks. Any training that increases understanding of this virus could help prepare for a return to work. There are many courses available for free on-line. It's worth finding a course that meets your requirements. The course below can be easily completed in 2 hours and a certificate of completion can be provided for a small sium of £2.00
Skills for Health training (UK provider), details here: - Skills for Health COVID-19 Training
Personal Protective Equipment
Deciding which PPE is best will differ from organisation to organisation. Completing a risk assessment and a COVID-19 awareness course should help to make things clearer annd simpler. The guidance below may also help you in deciding what level of PPE you need.
Recommended PPE for health and social care workers by context for both NHS and independent sectors in secondary care inpatient clinical settings
Recommended PPE for outpatient, community and social care settings.
Recommended PPE for ambulance staff, paramedics, other patient transport services and pharmacy staff
Additional considerations, in addition to standard infection prevention and control precautions,
The following might be a useful visual aide to the safe wearing of PPE
