The Health and Safety Executive continues to carry out spot checks in businesses throughout the UK to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure. Employers found to fall short of the expected level of risk management may face action and even prosecution.

The UK Government this week announced a delay of four weeks to the full lifting of restrictions in England which was planned to take place on 21st June.

Regularly updated COVID risk assessments are required for workplaces to continue to be COVID-secure, and additional information for businesses in areas where new COVID-19 variants are spreading is also applicable.


In numbers: UK coronavirus cases as at 1600 on Thursday 17th June (Source: UK Government)

11,007 new people had a confirmed positive test result reported on 17th June 2021. Between 11th and 17th June, 58,830 people had a confirmed positive test result – an increase of 33.7% on the previous 7 days.

Hospitalisations were up 43% on the week to the 13th June.

There were 19 deaths within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus reported on 17th June, and 78 deaths reported in the week to the 17th - an increase of over 41% on the previous 7 days.

Vaccines

More than 4 in 5 adults in the UK have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

With 72,891,861 doses administered in total, 42,216,654 people across the UK have now been vaccinated with a first dose (80%), while 30,675,207 people have had both doses (58%).

Public Health England has for the first time said that 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against hospitalisation from the Delta variant. Their analysis suggests the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is 96% effective and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 92% effective against hospitalisation after both doses.

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