Crucially, while measures such as face coverings will be no longer being required under coronavirus legislation, and Council powers to enforce legislation and rules will expire, employers will still have obligations under health and safety law.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 requires employers to take all “reasonably practicable” steps to keep people safe. Therefore, while employers may be under the impression that they can simply abandon measures once the government permits, they still have a fundamental duty to assess and manage COVID risk.

In short, employers have always had a duty to provide a safe place of work, and this duty will remain long after restrictions are lifted. Measures such as providing welfare facilities (hot and cold running water and soap), adequate ventilation and cleaning aren’t just good at controlling COVID-19 – they were always required under and will continue to be important in creating a safe, healthy workplace.

As long as COVID-19 remains an occupational hazard – and it’s likely that it will become endemic – many of the measures that businesses have introduced to manage the virus will still be considered “reasonably practicable”, particularly those that are less intrusive, such as hand sanitiser stations and ventilation. By getting rid of them now, you may be falling short of your duty to minimise workplace health and safety risks.

Besides, what would be gained from removing them now? From a practical perspective, experts say the virus could settle into a seasonal pattern, and perhaps more importantly, these measures are likely to make staff and customers much more comfortable, which is crucial right now.