Construction sites can stay open as the prime minister last night ordered the strictest lockdown measures since March 2020.
In a televised lockdown announcement the prime minister, last night ordered all members of the public to stay at home until at least 15 February and to leave only for exercise.
The third national lockdown measures come into force from Wednesday morning with the government urging people to work from home wherever possible.
National lockdown guidance published online after the PM’s announcement states; “you can only leave home for work purposes where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home, including but not limited to people who work within critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing that require in-person attendance.”
Tradespeople can continue as usual to work on and in other peoples homes while adhering to Covid social distancing guidelines.
Like builders merchants, scaffolding hire & sale yards have been classed as essential retail so are allowed to stay open along with food shops, supermarkets and pharmacies.
However, like schools, colleges and universities a number of scaffolding training centres will have to close. SIMIAN the UK’s largest privately-owned scaffolding training provider said last night “it’s training centres across the country will close from 5 pm today (5 January) and will remain closed until Government advice confirms they can re-open.”
During the lockdown, the government aims to roll out a mass vaccination program and vaccinate around 13 million people by mid-February and hopefully turn the tide on the pandemic.
The prime minister Boris Johnson said: “With every jab that goes into our arms, we are tilting the odds against Covid and in favour of the British people. And, thanks to the miracle of science, not only is the end in sight but we know exactly how we will get there.
But for now, I am afraid, you must once again stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”
Read the full National Lockdown Guidance published here
