In response to both the Prime Minister and the Welsh Government’s latest announcements on lockdown measures, South Wales Chamber of Commerce CEO Heather Myers said: “Following the Prime Minister’s broadcast last night, there appears to be some confusion about businesses reopening and employees returning to work. The PM is set to make further announcements about workplace measures this afternoon so hopefully this will provide clarity or us all.

“The clarity of approach taken by The First Minister means we all understand that the health and protection of workers is the primary concern going forward. Therefore, as a business community we must endeavour to establish ways to ensure essential safety measures are adhered to whilst carefully restarting the economy. We have a clear mandate; if you can work from home you should continue to do so; If you can’t work from home, then provided your workforce can social distance or there are protective measures in place, then Wales remains open for business. Being responsible and measured is what we are being asked to do and each and every one of us will need to adapt and find a new normal and what that looks like for our business. In Wales, we have been given another three weeks to work together within our organisations and our communities to find safer ways to enable our workforce to return to workplaces.”

For an up-to-date list of resources for businesses, visit the South Wales Chamber of Commerce Coronavirus hub https://cw-seswm.com/coronavirus-hub.