New HSA Covid-19 Checklist
The HSA have published a new checklist- Returning to the Office.
These checklists have been prepared to help employers, business owners and managers to get their business up and running again in a way that will help prevent the spread of Covid-19. This particular checklist will help prepare for re-opening the office and the return of employees in due course. It covers the Building, Employees, Working in the Office, Antigen Testing, Isolation procedures, Canteen and Welfare Facilities, Travelling to and from Work, and Visitors and Contractors attending the Office.
An updated return to office guidance is expected to be published at the end of August.
Update HPSC Guidance on Managing Close Contacts
There has been an update to the HPSC guidance with regard to managing asymptomatic close contacts of fully vaccinated people or who have had a confirmed Covid-19 infection in the previous nine months. The revised guidance is that while the Delta variant remains a Variant of concern, as it is now predominant in Ireland, additional public health measures are no longer required to be applied to probable or confirmed Delta cases.
Please note that the DPC guidance on vaccination status remains unchanged and therefore employers will not be in a position to request the vaccination status of their employees except in very limited circumstances. It will be important that where employees are close contacts of a confirmed case, they discuss their vaccination status and any underlying health conditions directly with public health and/or a medical professional and that they inform their employer of their obligations regarding the restriction of their movements. https://www.dataprotection.ie/en/dpc-guidance/processing-covid-19-vaccination-data-context-employment