UK govt says it’s ‘safe to go back to work’ after business leaders warn coronavirus panic is creating ‘ghost towns’

The British government is encouraging people to return to their workplaces, amid growing concern that Covid-19 restrictions are suffocating normal commerce in towns and cities across the country.

Whitehall is rolling out an advertising campaign next week which will underscore the benefits of employees going back to offices. The ad blitz will also call on businesses to ensure that proper precautions are taken to mitigate the transmission of coronavirus. The campaign will emphasize that those who continue to work from home will not be at risk of losing their job, according to reports. 

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed on Friday that the government was giving people the green light to commute to work. 

“What we’re saying to people is it is now safe to go back,” he told Sky News. “Your employer should have made arrangements which are appropriate to make sure it is coronavirus-safe to work.”

He noted that there are limits to what employees can do remotely, and that “you just miss out on that human spark when you’re not with people.” However, it may take time for people to adjust to their new workplace arrangements, Shapps acknowledged. 

The new policy comes just days after the head of a leading employers’ organization, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), warned that commercial centers were at risk of becoming permanent “ghost towns” and that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had to do more to get people to return to work. 

“The costs of office closure are becoming clearer by the day. Some of our busiest city centers resemble ghost towns, missing the usual bustle of passing trade. This comes at a high price for local businesses, jobs and communities,” CBI head Carolyn Fairbairn said.

The UK officially entered recession earlier this month after its GDP plummeted by 20 percent. The nation also posted the worst unemployment figures since the 2009 economic crisis. 

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