Further amendments have been made to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 which will affect care home staff from 7 January 2022:

• Those not previously employed or engaged in a care home can be deployed if they have recently received a single dose of COVID-19 vaccination at least 21 days before they begin working – provided that they receive a second dose within ten weeks of their first dose.

From 1 April 2022, further amendments will extend the mandatory vaccination requirement to all persons working in any other regulated activity outside a care home. This will include nursing and health care. The requirement will not apply to those under 18, or clinically exempt, or to persons not working in face-to-face contact with service users.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/15/introduction/made

The Statutory Sick Pay (Coronavirus)(Funding of Employers Liabilities) Regulations 2022 came into force on 14 January 2022. These regulations re-introduce the SSP Rebate Scheme across the UK that provide for employers with fewer than 250 employees (as at 30 November 2021) to recover up to 2-weeks’ SSP for each employee who is off work due to a positive COVID-19 test or in self-isolation due to possible COVID-19 infection.

The rebate scheme is applicable to absences on or after 21 December 2021, including absences where the same period of absence started prior to this date. The scheme is due to end on 24 March 2022 so all claims must be submitted by this date.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/5/made

https://www.gov.uk/employers-sick-pay

Following the High Court’s judgement in R (Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions & another (2020), the existing duty on employers to provide suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees where there is a health and safety risk, is due to be extended to also apply to workers.

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 are due to come into force on 6 April 2022.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/daily-rapid-testing-for-covid-19-contacts-launches-this-week

From today, Monday 17 January 2022, those who test positive for COVID-19 in England can end their period of self-isolation after 5 full days provided that they test negative on both day 5 and day 6, and do not have a temperature.

If they do not test negative on both day 5 and day 6, then they must stay in isolation and continue testing until they have had two consecutive negative tests taken on separate days. The first test must not be taken any sooner than day 5 of the period of self-isolation, and the second test should be taken on the next consecutive day. If the tests taken are not both negative then the individual should continue to isolate up to the full 10-day period.

Those who leave their period of isolation early following their two mandatory negative tests are strongly advised to wear face coverings and limit close contact with others, and to work from home if possible.

This measure has been introduced to support essential public services and workforces over the winter months.

The default isolation period remains at 10 days therefore if the required negative tests and temperature check are not satisfied to leave isolation from day 6 onwards, then the full period of self-isolation must be observed.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/self-isolation-for-those-with-covid-19-can-end-after-five-full-days-following-two-negative-lfd-tests