With nearly 600 cases of the new coronavirus identified in the United Kingdom, companies are increasingly advising their employees to work remotely, where feasible, to mitigate the potential impact of the virus on their daily operations.
While the UK is presently in the initial phase of a four-phase strategy known as “contain” aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus, an emergency meeting of ministers, known as Cobra, held this afternoon is expected to trigger a transition to the second phase, “delay.” During this phase, the consideration of “social distancing” measures becomes more prominent.
The nature of these measures, once determined, could significantly influence the ability of workplaces to remain open and function under normal conditions. In the Republic of Ireland, for instance, schools, colleges, and other public facilities have been temporarily shuttered, and employees have been encouraged to work from home if feasible.
