Plaid calls for urgent increase in Covid-19 testing

News that councils in Wales are only being given 15 Covid-19 tests a day for key staff, including carers, has prompted calls for an urgent increase in testing.

Plaid Cymru has seen a copy of a letter from a local authority neighbouring Denbighshire to one of its local care home providers.

This says: “As you may be aware, the testing for COVID-19 for key staff has now started across Wales. ***** CBC, like all Local Authorities in Wales, have been allocated 15 tests per day.” 

Plaid’s North Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd said testing was a key weapon in the against the virus and the restrictions placed on both health and care staff was causing great anxiety.

Mr Gruffydd said: "Care homes throughout Wales are looking after 20,000 of our most vulnerable citizens. There are tens of thousands of care workers who are coming into close contact with people on a daily basis and they have to be tested as much as our NHS frontline workers. If we do not increase testing significantly for all key workers, then we risk spreading the disease more than is already the case.

"It's vital that people who have got any symptoms of the virus are able to be tested promptly and get a quick diagnosis. If they're clear, they can continue in work and that's for the benefit of all. If testing shows up positive, then that would prevents them spreading the virus to others in work.

"Just 15 tests a day for every council in Wales is inadequate and I'm calling on the Welsh Government to find a way to deliver more tests for both the health and care sectors so that we can protect workers and those they're caring for alike."