(Bloomberg) --
Companies looking to resume operations after the U.K. lockdown is relaxed are set to be told to stagger shifts, enforce social distancing with tape on floors, and avoid sharing pens, people familiar with the matter said.
The government has written seven draft guidance papers covering different business environments to help people working in outdoor jobs, factories and in vehicles, among other scenarios.
The guidance is designed to help get swathes of the economy that have been shuttered by the pandemic to begin operating again as and when ministers ease restrictions requiring people to largely stay at home.
The proposals include installing plastic screens in shops between customers and the cash register, advice to curtail hot-desking, and enforcing strict standards of hygiene, according to three people who spoke on condition of anonymity discussing unpublished documents.
The guidance was circulated among unions and industry chiefs, who were given 12 hours to submit feedback on Sunday so that the details can be finalized in the days ahead.
The U.K. remains in lockdown until at least Thursday, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to review the latest scientific advice on how the virus is spreading and whether its safe to ease measures. The BBC on Monday reported Johnson won’t publish his roadmap out of lockdown until Sunday. Details of the guidance were first reported in the Financial Times.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that if the lockdown -- which began on March 23 -- lasts for three months, the U.K. economy will shrink by more than a third this quarter.
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