Scaffolders and other construction site workers in England with virus symptoms are now able to get tested.
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday announced that all workers in England that have to leave their home to work will be offered the tests.
The Coronavirus tests will also be offered to the workers families and those that are over 65.
Matt Hancock said: ”Any worker who needs to leave their home in order to go to work, and their households, if any of them have symptoms can also get a test. This means construction workers to emergency plumbers, research scientists to those in manufacturing – can now be tested. All they need to do is go on the internet and apply for a test.”
The government’s shift on testing came just hours after the Unite union wrote a letter to the Health Secretary calling for testing for construction workers. Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “Many construction workers continued to work through the lockdown and furloughed workers are being phased back ahead of other sectors.
“The recently relaxed guidance from the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) on social distancing whilst at work is undermining efforts to get agreement on safe working practices.
“Operating advice for building sites based on CLC guidance states that construction workers can work face to face within two metres of each other as long as it is for ‘15 minutes or less where possible’.
“Unite believes with good practice social distancing can be maintained for most tasks and where this is not possible the task should not be undertaken. However, to date there is evidence of confusion and if the 15-minute relaxation persists it will heighten concerns about spreading Covid19 into communities and workers’ homes.“
Cartman concluded: “Unite believes construction workers should be included within the sectors designated for Covid19 testing as one of a number of measures necessary to prevent the spread of Covid19.“
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