This petition was rejected

The Government e-Petitions Team gave the following reason:

The Government has set out guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus, which stresses the importance of social distancing and hygiene: www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19

It is up to individual employers, including those that employ children, to decide how to operate in line with this guidance.

If you want the Government to close all businesses that are not vital, which could include newsagents, you may wish to sign this petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/308122

You could start a new petition calling on the Government to fund paid leave for children who have part-time work, so they can stop working during the outbreak but not lose out financially.

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

www.gov.uk/coronavirus
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/

You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/

Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/