In their wisdom my employer wants us to attend an important briefing in person. Up to 100 in the same room.

Is this wise given Covid? What measures would make it safer?

Get them to fax the message is probably the best bet. Sounds like the sort level that they are at. Sorry for not being helpful.

We’re up to 5 people in an in person meeting if Teams isn’t viable – but on site we have to wear masks when not eating or drinking and have to have a clear LFT within the previous 48 hours to be on site.

Open windows, full masking, testing, distancing all will help

It depends very much on the size of the room as well but unless its essential then IMO no – I would not be going

I would be asking them for their risk assessments and then compare that to healthcare guidance

Ask employer to state how they will ensure this will be covid-safe/secure.

Doors and windows open for air circulation?
Attendees to be suitably distanced from each other?
All attendees to prove fully vaccinated status?
All attendees to prove they’ve had a -ve test no more than 3 days before the event?
Confirmation that if, as a result of attending, you contract covid and are required to self-isolate you will receive full pay.
If you attend, contract covid and are then stuck with long covid what will they do for you?
If this ‘briefing’ involves breaks/lunch etc how will they ensure compliance with covid-safe protocols?

Sound like a bunch of numpties where wisdom is in short supply.

Is it sufficiently important to (potentially) risk employees’ health?

Have they not heard of using teams for all-staff briefings?

We have assemblies of 200 odd in a hall and theatres packed so not sure what else they could do. Maybe more spacing between individuals. I appreciate trying to follow flawed government guides is futile so I guess whatever you can do to protect yourself.

Also the various legal acts that govern safety at work

the employer must take all practicable steps to reduce / eliminate risk

What does your union / health and safety reps say?

Can you pull a sickie?

I do have mild cold symptoms so might not be wise to attend anyway. I just think the idea they had of a large face to face briefing is nuts.

How many of those 100 would (in their own time) go to a concert / the cinema / a nightclub / the theatre / sit in a restaurant .. the list goes on

If you are double jabbed, take a LFT / PCR test before hand / wear a mask if you want to and be given the option to attend by zoom etc if you are really worried about it then whats the issue.
For me, when i had my jabs , one of the reasons was so i could get back to leading a half normal life.

For me, when i had my jabs , one of the reasons was so i could get back to leading a half normal life.

you can still catch covid and still carry it to infect others just the odds are reduced.

If you are double jabbed, take a LFT / PCR test before hand / wear a mask if you want to and be given the option to attend by zoom etc if you are really worried about it then whats the issue.
For me, when i had my jabs , one of the reasons was so i could get back to leading a half normal life.

This. If you’re double-jabbed it’s likely to just be a bad cold and you’re probably going to get it eventually so might as well get it out of the way. 🤷‍♂️

just the odds are reduced.

Main point for me is that the risk of serious illness/hospitalisation goes down to near zero if you’re double-jabbed.

How many of those 100 would (in their own time) go to a concert / the cinema / a nightclub / the theatre / sit in a restaurant .. the list goes on

Unless the answer is “all of them”, that’s exactly the reason why it’s not a great idea.

… be given the option to attend by zoom etc if you are really worried about it then whats the issue.

If there’s an option to attend by zoom, then no, no issue. But that’s not what the OP said.

I do have mild cold symptoms so might not be wise to attend anyway.

Definitely get tested, I thought I just had a cold…

How many of those 100 would (in their own time) go to a concert / the cinema / a nightclub / the theatre / sit in a restaurant .. the list goes on

Irrelevant

going out is your choice and its up to you to ensure your safety. A work event you have to attend under risk of disciplinary and the critical factor is your employer has a legal duty to not put you at risk

Funny thing is i feel less at risk when i have been into the workplace. Prior to arriving on site, i have to have a PCR test (2-3 days) , and have to be clear to attend site. Whilst there (last week for example) i have been in the same area as at least 50 other people (who have all been tested the same way i have).

Compare that to popping in the pub across the road . Probably around the same amount of people in there, but i dont know anything about them, whether they are double jabbed, or are carrying it.

The point i was trying to make, was some people who may worry about attending the OP’s meeting, may well have been somewhere else the night before and not applied the same amount of caution because they “wanted” to be there, rather than they have been “requested” to be there.

Assuming their employer has carried out a risk asssesment and deem it safe , then there should be something in there to address the issue of someone not wishing to attend for their own reasons .
They certainly should not be penalised for not wanting to attend. I dont think the op mentioned anything about being under disciplinary if they did not attend.

So in direct answer to OP request of what measures to make it safe my answer would be

1. Test the attendees prior to the meeting.
2. Break down the meeting into 4 meetings each attended by 25 people. These could be done consecutively or simultaneously in 4 rooms.

We’re limited to 6sqm per person and any coridoors between people have to allow 2m clearance. So meetings are either outside or in a big hall!

LFTs are also now discouraged as they resulted in too many false negatives, with people coming in with a sense of confidence, ignoring other measures and resulting in larger numbers of close contacts than if they’d not tested and just been cautious (and not spread it).

They’ve also dropped the idea of PCR tests and bubbles/cohorts on other jobs for similar reasons. The bubbles were far from perfect, and as soon as one person picks it up the whole job is shut down for weeks as everyone inevitably has it whether vaccinated ot not.

Testing probably still works if you’re expecting cases anyway whether you follow other measures or not due to interactions with the public (healthcare, Front of house staff, supermarkets). But for the general public they don’t seem to be working as they’re seen as either/or with social distancing.

Kind of given up worrying about it now we’re double jabbed, plus the whole family had it 6 weeks ago (including unvaccinated kids one with a heart condition) with no lasting ill effects. Would not expect everybody to be forced to go, but wouldn’t have a problem myself. Would prob wear a mask but wouldn’t worry otherwise.

Quite a change from where I was pre having it I have to say.

I’m spending the next 2 days putting in a corporate conference/awards ceremony/general pissup for 600 people. Its been delayed a couple of times as they very much wanted a “normal” environment with no masks and lots of hugging and kissing and general no-holds-barred partying. The seating plan is normal rows of chairs for the conference bit, round tables of 10 for the dinner, no distancing evident at all.

Given how paranoid the venue were being when I went to the recce in April, the fact we’re now being allowed to do it, suggests that no ****s are being given and all precautions are out the window. I’ve not been asked for evidence of a clear test of any sort before I turn up on site tomorrow either.

Assuming their employer has carried out a risk asssesment and deem it safe

You have a lot more faith than I have in employers

Ask to see the risk assessment. If they haven’t done the risk assessment, they have an issue

We have a meeting for 12 next week, tables 2 metres apart, windows open – they are full length patio door type things – masks are optional. Took us a long time for one of the bigger rooms to become available.