It’s been a couple of years since retailers were forced to transform their premises to ensure customers remain as safe as possible while the Covid-19 pandemic continued to spread. 

After months of relative normality, store managers might have to prepare to introduce Covid restrictions again as a new variant sweeps through the nation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed its worries there will be greater “risk to life” as China opens its borders, as cases soar there. 

At the same time, the Omicron subvariant XBB15 has been spreading quickly throughout Europe.

Director-general of WHO Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “We are really concerned about the current Covid-19 epidemiological picture, with both intense transmission in several parts of the world and a recombinant subvariant spreading quickly.”

It is even thought this variant accounts for 40 per cent of the current Covid cases in the US. 

The UK Health Security Agency has also warned the public to be vigilant as Covid and the flu are “circulating at high levels” at the moment. 

Although it remains to be seen what the government will do, retailers might be asked to re-introduce previous measures, including social distancing, mask wearing, and screens to protect customers and staff. 

There could also be further risk assessments, and extra cleaning may be required to ensure any signs of the virus are wiped away. 

The most common symptoms of the latest variant include sore throat, blocked or runny nose, sneezing, dry cough, headaches, cough with phlegm, hoarse voice, muscle pain and altered smell.

For information on how to implement hygiene measures, consider planned retail maintenance services that specialise in Covid-19 cleaning. Call us today to find out more.