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Covid

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Original poster

Matt Hancock's statement on returning to work

138 replies

JS87 · 19/08/2020 14:23

So I've just read that Matt Hancock has said that there is no excuse not to return to work as there is little evidence of transmission at work and transmission is happening in homes. Given that most of the country has been furloughed/ is working from home then obviously transmission is likely to be happening at home rather than the work place. In workplaces that have stayed open people have either been using PPE (NHS) or social distancing or there have been large outbreaks (e.g. meat processing plants). Given there have been relatively few offices open with everyone crammed back in as normal then I can't understand why he thinks there is evidence that there would be no transmission in these situations. Does he not use his brain?

OP posts:

threecats333 · 19/08/2020 15:54

The reason that France has introduced masks in offices is that the greatest place in France for transmission is now the office but over 75% are back in the office compared to less than 40% here. Let the schools go back and let everybody who can work from home continue do so to keep people off public transport and keep transmission low. Matt Hancock should join Gavin Williamson in exile.

SorrelBlackbeak · 19/08/2020 15:58

@lurker101

I think he’s largely likely to be right - most workplaces will have implemented procedures to reduce risk of spread i.e. maximum numbers in meeting rooms etc. And most people in offices don’t sit particularly close to others - at my work there’s at least a metre distance between everyone. This is very different to socialising - when I’ve met friends for dinner we’ve all sat in much closer quarters than we would in an office environment. Presumably families are also hugging etc. Which has probably caused more spread.

Many workplaces cannot do much to adapt, other than only bring people back to the office part time. We've been told the office cannot accommodate everyone back while there is a required 1m+ distance. At the moment we're aiming for January, but even then only at 50% occupancy.

ineedaholidaynow · 19/08/2020 15:59

@herecomesthsun of course there is a magic school fairy. Unfortunately I think they start their holiday in September so won't be around when the pupils go back.

I am reviewing the risk assessments and return to school plans for our MAT before they can be signed off, maybe I should ask why they haven't mentioned the magic school fairy

Waxonwaxoff0 · 19/08/2020 15:59

I work in an office attached to a factory with about 100 employees, we don't use PPE and we've not had an outbreak.

That being said I don't see why those who can WFH can't continue to do so. We can't due to the nature of the business but why force everyone back who doesn't need to be?

ThatDamnScientist · 19/08/2020 16:06

The only thing I have to contribute is Matt Hancock is a cock. (Not very useful I know, but slightly more useful than anything this bunch of clowns manage to spew).

ramblingsonthego · 19/08/2020 16:07

I work in quite a different office environment. My desk is slap bang in the middle of university students social space (imagine a desk in a middle of a library but not with the restrictions of a library). We have been told we have to wear masks at all times in the office. Its not going to be fun wearing that for 9 hours a day but I will plod on through. We don't know yet how many students will be on campus for the start of term, so it could be OK, or it could be chaos. Who is coming to police the students if they are doing group work and not social distancing? It ain't going to be me. Who polices the mask wearing? Its going to be a very weird first semester.

WWRU · 19/08/2020 16:11

Schools are aiming for September with 100% occupancy.

Why let a little thing like leaving a safe distance stop everyone working at full capacity?

mumwon · 19/08/2020 16:14

Hancock had a mild case of corona so he is all right Jack - & as pp have said has he ever used a tube or a London bus? (or any other crowded rush hour public transport)
If you can work from home I think its a good idea until it either goes away (!!) or there is medication or vaccination to control it.
I wonder if he will get in next election? (I can see at least 2 ministers loosing their roles after this)

SlothMama · 19/08/2020 16:14

For some jobs it's just not possible, I work in medical sales and so I cannot see my customers. Trusts have banned non urgent patient specific meetings, so I've been stuck at home since March!

SaltyAndFresh · 19/08/2020 16:15

@threecats333

You mean, let school staff take the risk?

PhilCornwall1 · 19/08/2020 16:18

Hancock has said that there is no excuse not to return to work as there is little evidence of transmission at work and transmission is happening in homes.

So we now have a clever virus do we? It knows if someone is at work and avoids them, follows them home and then jumps on them.

Hancock has been testing the vaccine again and is as high as a kite isn't he.

Anyone who has been banging on about how good a job the government, particularly Johnson and Hancock are doing, must surely now hold their hands and finally give in to that deluded thought.

Jrobhatch29 · 19/08/2020 16:25

My partner works in a factory with 7000 other people. They have had 2 seperate incidents with people testing positive but both were contained quickly. PHE were straight in both times and decided who needed to isolate. They do wear masks so hopefully it helps

Lilybet1980 · 19/08/2020 16:27

@herecomesthsun

Okay, so if 3 generations of 1 family in close proximity can give covid to each other,

then why cannot covid pass between school students (especially secondary aged ones) to and from parents or teachers?

When there are dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people in 1 building for 35 hours per week, for most of the year?

With very little social distancing?

Is there a magic school fairy that is supposed to stop this?

I’m not saying Covid can’t be passed around a school, but the way people interact within a household and at school are very different.

There is minimal social distancing at school vs no social distancing at home. People tend to wash their hands less within their own home. Not to mention sharing of cooking, eating, washing facilities etc. Human nature means we naturally behave differently at home.

It’s similar to saying there is no difference between sitting next to a table of randoms in a restaurant and inviting friends round for dinner in my kitchen. The way we interact to and behave with different groups of people does have an impact.

SaltyAndFresh · 19/08/2020 16:29

There is minimal social distancing at school vs no social distancing at home. People tend to wash their hands less within their own home.

Not true of large secondary schools.

ineedaholidaynow · 19/08/2020 16:30

Many more students will be sharing hand washing/toilet facilities than are shared in a house.

Children/students tend to hug, shout in faces.

WanderingMilly · 19/08/2020 16:39

Well, I think Hancock is wrong, people have caught COVID from the workplace...depends on your workplace, of course.
However, he is also right in that we do need to get back to work, we can't be hiding forever and need some sort of normality......

Cloudburstagain · 19/08/2020 16:42

Ofsted inspectors are continuing to work from home - no inspections due until at least 2021. What does that tell you?

SaltyAndFresh · 19/08/2020 16:49

@Cloudburstagain

Ofsted inspectors are continuing to work from home - no inspections due until at least 2021. What does that tell you?

I'd love to know what they're doing while working from home.

RubyMuseday · 19/08/2020 16:52

There won’t be minimal social distancing in our school. There’ll be none.

AlecTrevelyan006 · 19/08/2020 16:52

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53833204

So if "very largely" we "catch it from one household meeting another household, usually in one of their homes", and the number of people catching it by spending all day at their workplaces is "relatively low", why the fk do we have to wear face coverings to walk around a bloody shop for a short time?

Jrobhatch29 · 19/08/2020 16:53

@Cloudburstagain

Ofsted inspectors are continuing to work from home - no inspections due until at least 2021. What does that tell you?

I would love to know what they will be doing too!! I can see why they can't go into schools really, especially primary as they would be going between bubbles to do lesson observations I suppose!

QueenCT · 19/08/2020 16:58

I can't go back yet because there's no room. If I did there would be less than 2m distancing. We also can't have the AC on and no windows so it's roasting

WhyNotMe40 · 19/08/2020 17:00

Oh look! Fantastic! As the "work from home if you can" policy has been so successful, that not many people are catching it at work - let's scrap that policy as obviously people don't catch it at work!

Just the sort of stupid things ministers say, like Give as education secretary saying that all schools must be above average....

WhyNotMe40 · 19/08/2020 17:01

Gove

Nekoness · 19/08/2020 17:01

“ Most of the country furloughed or working from home? Do you have evidence to support that statement? All of my friends and family have been working throughout, outside the home, in shops, offices, hospitals and factories.
I know nobody personally who has had covid, except for one friend’s mother, a pensioner who did not work.”

That’s not how it works. You don’t get to demand statistical proof and not offer any yourself, other than your personal experience (which as valid as OP’s)

Do you have evidence to refute OP’s statement? No?

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