People are being reminded that not all businesses need to close during the coronavirus crisis, but that those that operate must obey rules around social distancing.

Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Slattery, chair of the Cumbria Strategic Co-ordination Group, which is managing the county’s response to the outbreak said: “It is clear that businesses locally have responded to the challenges that we all face and a great deal of work has been done to protect the health and well-being of employees and the public.

“Many businesses are critical to maintaining manufacturing supply chains providing the food, medicine and medical supplies that we all need and to keep utilities functioning.

"The Government has only mandated the closure of certain sectors of business, notably in the hospitality and retail sectors while other sectors continue to operate in line with social distancing guidance.

“I am heartened to see local businesses adapting to the current situation and, where appropriate, finding ways to continue to operate in these difficult times. It is critical that businesses play their part in minimising the spread of the virus and thereby protecting the NHS."

Jo Lappin, chair of the Local Resilience Forum’s Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group and chief executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “In these unprecedented times, it is vitally important that we pull together as a community to support each other.

“An important part of this is keeping our businesses operating as much as we can, given that our future economic and financial wellbeing is dependent on this.

“It is important that we are all operating in line with national guidance and Government has made clear that where businesses can continue to operate it is important that they do.

“We have excellent examples of businesses that have changed their systems and processes to ensure that they are putting the safety of their people at the heart of their operations, genuinely looking for the workplace to be the safest place for their workforce.”

Government advice on safe working for businesses can be found here

The guidance says: “If you cannot work from home then you can still travel for work purposes, provided you are not showing coronavirus symptoms and neither you nor any of your household are self-isolating.

“Employers who have people in their offices or onsite should ensure that employees are able to follow Public Health England guidelines including, where possible, maintaining a two metre distance from others, and washing their hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds (or using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water is not available).”