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| Drakeford: Two Covid rule reviews before Christmas | Drakeford: Two Covid rule reviews before Christmas |
| (4 months later) | |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
| To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
| Omicron cases could rise steeply, Drakeford says | Omicron cases could rise steeply, Drakeford says |
| Omicron cases could rise steeply, Drakeford says | Omicron cases could rise steeply, Drakeford says |
| Wales' Covid rules could change before Christmas after the first minister announced he would review them week-by-week. | Wales' Covid rules could change before Christmas after the first minister announced he would review them week-by-week. |
| Mark Drakeford has held off imposing new restrictions for the time being. | Mark Drakeford has held off imposing new restrictions for the time being. |
| But he said ministers will be monitoring the situation closely if they need to put in place "additional protections" in response to Omicron. | But he said ministers will be monitoring the situation closely if they need to put in place "additional protections" in response to Omicron. |
| The change means there will be two weekly reviews in the run-up to Christmas. | The change means there will be two weekly reviews in the run-up to Christmas. |
| The Welsh government urged individuals to take lateral flow tests before going shopping, going to Christmas parties or visiting others. | The Welsh government urged individuals to take lateral flow tests before going shopping, going to Christmas parties or visiting others. |
| It also extended guidance on mask wearing to pubs and restaurants, when people are not eating. | It also extended guidance on mask wearing to pubs and restaurants, when people are not eating. |
| Four more cases of Omicron were declared in Wales on Friday, bringing the total to 13, although it is thought there are more. | Four more cases of Omicron were declared in Wales on Friday, bringing the total to 13, although it is thought there are more. |
| Two vaccine doses don't stop you catching Omicron | Two vaccine doses don't stop you catching Omicron |
| People urged to use Covid tests before going out | People urged to use Covid tests before going out |
| Does Wales have its own Covid Plan B? | Does Wales have its own Covid Plan B? |
| It comes as the Scottish government warned of a "tsunami" of Omicron cases. | It comes as the Scottish government warned of a "tsunami" of Omicron cases. |
| Mr Drakeford attended a meeting of senior leaders across the UK on Friday, at which UK Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said they were presented with "very challenging new information". | Mr Drakeford attended a meeting of senior leaders across the UK on Friday, at which UK Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said they were presented with "very challenging new information". |
| He said the UK faced a "deeply concerning situation", with Omicron doubling every two to three days in England. | He said the UK faced a "deeply concerning situation", with Omicron doubling every two to three days in England. |
| Earlier, Mr Drakeford told a press conference Wales "may be about a week behind what is happening in other parts of England and Scotland". | Earlier, Mr Drakeford told a press conference Wales "may be about a week behind what is happening in other parts of England and Scotland". |
| "And that may give us a little bit more time here in Wales to learn and to act". | "And that may give us a little bit more time here in Wales to learn and to act". |
| Usually the government looks at the rules once every three weeks. | Usually the government looks at the rules once every three weeks. |
| He said because of the speed things may change his cabinet would move from holding three-weekly reviews, to holding them once a week. | He said because of the speed things may change his cabinet would move from holding three-weekly reviews, to holding them once a week. |
| Meanwhile, the Welsh Parliament has announced it will close the Senedd building and hold its proceedings virtually in response to the new variant. | Meanwhile, the Welsh Parliament has announced it will close the Senedd building and hold its proceedings virtually in response to the new variant. |
| It is unclear what restrictions Wales will have over Christmas | It is unclear what restrictions Wales will have over Christmas |
| More than 1,200 cases of Omicron have been found in the UK, but the figure is thought to be an underestimate. | More than 1,200 cases of Omicron have been found in the UK, but the figure is thought to be an underestimate. |
| Experts in the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) believe the variant will become dominant by mid-December. | Experts in the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) believe the variant will become dominant by mid-December. |
| On Friday, the UKHSA said two doses of a Covid vaccine were not enough to stop someone catching Covid. | On Friday, the UKHSA said two doses of a Covid vaccine were not enough to stop someone catching Covid. |
| However, a third booster dose significantly increased protection to around 75%. | However, a third booster dose significantly increased protection to around 75%. |
| The Welsh NHS is expanding its booster programme and aims to offer a jab to all adults by the end of January. | The Welsh NHS is expanding its booster programme and aims to offer a jab to all adults by the end of January. |
| Wales' latest case rate from 5 December stands at 504 cases per 100,000 people over seven days, a slight dip from the day before. | Wales' latest case rate from 5 December stands at 504 cases per 100,000 people over seven days, a slight dip from the day before. |
| Don Darch, 65, and Nesta Darch, 63, from Pontypridd with their grandchildren Berwyn and Heti | Don Darch, 65, and Nesta Darch, 63, from Pontypridd with their grandchildren Berwyn and Heti |
| People told BBC Wales of their concerns over Covid during the winter months. | People told BBC Wales of their concerns over Covid during the winter months. |
| Lee Coburn, 46, from the Rhondda, and who lost his father Terry in March to Covid. | Lee Coburn, 46, from the Rhondda, and who lost his father Terry in March to Covid. |
| 'I'm a bit apprehensive, the reason being I do have an elderly mum who's high at risk," he said. "But also people need that time together with families, because it's been two years - so I think we could proceed with Christmas, but be cautious." | 'I'm a bit apprehensive, the reason being I do have an elderly mum who's high at risk," he said. "But also people need that time together with families, because it's been two years - so I think we could proceed with Christmas, but be cautious." |
| Mr Coburn said he was worried for what was coming after Christmas: "because if people are going to be partying, not being cautious then there's a massive wave going to hit us just after Christmas in January, and we'll be all in lockdown then until summertime like last year." | Mr Coburn said he was worried for what was coming after Christmas: "because if people are going to be partying, not being cautious then there's a massive wave going to hit us just after Christmas in January, and we'll be all in lockdown then until summertime like last year." |
| Nesta Darch, 63, Pontypridd, said she would "like to see perhaps more mandatory mask-wearing". | Nesta Darch, 63, Pontypridd, said she would "like to see perhaps more mandatory mask-wearing". |
| "You mention it to the staff in the shops and they say we have no legal requirement to make people wear masks", she said. | "You mention it to the staff in the shops and they say we have no legal requirement to make people wear masks", she said. |
| Her husband Don said his family take lateral flow tests "religiously". | Her husband Don said his family take lateral flow tests "religiously". |
| "We do them - my children are all teachers, I've got my 85-year-old mam who's housebound," he said. "But the reliability of them, I'm not so sure. It's better than nothing, they do highlight some cases but I don't think you can 100% rely on lateral flow tests." | "We do them - my children are all teachers, I've got my 85-year-old mam who's housebound," he said. "But the reliability of them, I'm not so sure. It's better than nothing, they do highlight some cases but I don't think you can 100% rely on lateral flow tests." |
| "This is a very difficult balance." So said the first minister in announcing no big changes to the Covid rules. | "This is a very difficult balance." So said the first minister in announcing no big changes to the Covid rules. |
| It's difficult because there's an information deficit around the Omicron variant which makes it hard to predict its impact on the NHS in Wales - an NHS already under severe strain. | It's difficult because there's an information deficit around the Omicron variant which makes it hard to predict its impact on the NHS in Wales - an NHS already under severe strain. |
| But the first minister also said Wales "may be about a week behind England and Scotland", where rules have been tightened this week. | But the first minister also said Wales "may be about a week behind England and Scotland", where rules have been tightened this week. |
| With Covid reviews here in Wales now taking place weekly, the message looks clear - preserving the status quo this week is a long way away from a guarantee of no change next week. | With Covid reviews here in Wales now taking place weekly, the message looks clear - preserving the status quo this week is a long way away from a guarantee of no change next week. |
| Mr Drakeford said there was still a lot that is not known about the variant, or how severe an illness it can cause. | Mr Drakeford said there was still a lot that is not known about the variant, or how severe an illness it can cause. |
| But he feared the speed the variant transmits meant it could infect large numbers of people, leading to an increase in hospital admissions. | But he feared the speed the variant transmits meant it could infect large numbers of people, leading to an increase in hospital admissions. |
| He said ministers would act early if data shows the variant is causing significant problems. | He said ministers would act early if data shows the variant is causing significant problems. |
| But the first minister said he could not give a "precise sense of what exactly would trigger action". | But the first minister said he could not give a "precise sense of what exactly would trigger action". |
| In the meantime, new guidance for visiting in care homes and hospitals is to be issued. | In the meantime, new guidance for visiting in care homes and hospitals is to be issued. |
| "We want to do all we can to support visiting where it is safe to do so but, if we see a new wave of cases, some strengthened measures to protect patients and residents may be needed", Mr Drakeford said. | "We want to do all we can to support visiting where it is safe to do so but, if we see a new wave of cases, some strengthened measures to protect patients and residents may be needed", Mr Drakeford said. |
| Wales went into a stay-at-home lockdown last Christmas | Wales went into a stay-at-home lockdown last Christmas |
| The first minister refused to confirm or deny a report in political blog Guido Fawkes that claimed he called for a lockdown between Christmas and New Year. | The first minister refused to confirm or deny a report in political blog Guido Fawkes that claimed he called for a lockdown between Christmas and New Year. |
| He said he would not be drawn into "distorted accounts" of a meeting he had with the other UK nations this week. | He said he would not be drawn into "distorted accounts" of a meeting he had with the other UK nations this week. |
| The account of the meeting was a "gross violation of the rules under which those meetings are conducted", he said. | The account of the meeting was a "gross violation of the rules under which those meetings are conducted", he said. |
| He suggested the motivation for whoever spoke to the blog "was simply to cause a distraction from the many, many difficulties that the UK government has experienced this week". | He suggested the motivation for whoever spoke to the blog "was simply to cause a distraction from the many, many difficulties that the UK government has experienced this week". |
| Welsh Conservative health spokesman Russell George said the Welsh government had taken the "right approach" to the Omicron variant by not announcing any major new restrictions on Friday. | Welsh Conservative health spokesman Russell George said the Welsh government had taken the "right approach" to the Omicron variant by not announcing any major new restrictions on Friday. |
| "I don't think any of us want to see restrictions imposed on lives, particularly at the Christmas period," he said. | "I don't think any of us want to see restrictions imposed on lives, particularly at the Christmas period," he said. |
| Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price backed Mr Drakeford's decision to hold weekly-reviews of the Covid rules. | Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price backed Mr Drakeford's decision to hold weekly-reviews of the Covid rules. |
| He also supported Welsh government requests for more financial support from the UK government if tighter restrictions were to be introduced. | He also supported Welsh government requests for more financial support from the UK government if tighter restrictions were to be introduced. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Wales | |
| Coronavirus lockdown measures | Coronavirus lockdown measures |
| Wales business | Wales business |
| Welsh government | Welsh government |