Thursday, July 16, 2020

Coronavirus update from the Welsh Government


Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government, issued yesterday, is: 

  • The Welsh Government has fast-tracked more than 50 new Welsh laws to deal swiftly with the coronavirus pandemic.

    • Speaking from the Senedd in Cardiff, First Minister Mark Drakeford outlined the monumental shift in government resources to limit the damage of coronavirus in his legislative statement.

    • The measures include the lockdown restrictions to keep people and businesses safe, to protect public health and enable public services to continue to operate in unprecedented circumstances.

    • https://gov.wales/welsh-government-introduced-over-50-laws-to-deal-with-coronavirus
  • Health Minister Vaughan Gething has today published an updated testing strategy for the next phase of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, as we emerge from lockdown with prevalence reducing and make preparations for the possibility of further peaks in the autumn and winter. It builds on the latest scientific evidence and focuses on four priority areas for testing:

    • Controlling and preventing transmission of the virus by supporting contact tracing.
    • Protecting NHS services to prevent, protect and deliver testing to support the safety of staff, patients and clients.
    • Protecting vulnerable groups and managing increased transmission rates to safeguard and control infection in groups, communities or settings with greater risks.
    • Developing future delivery to utilise health surveillance and new technologies to improve our understanding of the virus and innovate new ways to test.
    • https://gov.wales/written-statement-wales-covid-19-testing-strategy
    • Watch Health Minister Vaughan Gething’s press conference: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1283362189533777923

  • The Welsh Government has confirmed driving lessons will take place in Wales from 27 July.

    • Theory tests will restart on Monday 3 August, along with vocational, motorcycle, car and trailer tests, and tractor driving tests.
    • Driving tests will start from Monday 17 August, as well as the restarting of driving instructor testing and standards checks.
    • https://gov.wales/driving-lessons-restart-wales-27-july

  • The Welsh Government has made up to £9m available to support town centres recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

    • Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn has announced up to £5.3m from the Transforming Towns programme will be used to fund adaptions in town centres to support traders and improve public safety in response to coronavirus.
    • A further £3.7m of Valleys Taskforce funding will be invested to enhance small town centres in the Valleys region.
    • https://gov.wales/9-million-support-town-centres-recover-coronavirus-pandemic-announced
  • Jeremy Miles MS, Counsel General and Minister for European Transition and Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Trefnydd have published a written statement about stabilisation and reconstruction in the wake of coronavirus https://gov.wales/written-statement-stabilisation-and-reconstruction-wake-coronavirus-pandemic
  • A cross-border response, involving Welsh Government and its partners, to support the Airbus workforce and wider supply chain is well underway.
    • The first meeting of the Regional Employment Response Group, established by the Minister, has taken place this week involving Airbus, the supply chain, trade unions, key partners and agencies from North Wales and the Mersey Dee area to ensure the rapid and effective deployment of support required.
    • https://gov.wales/cross-border-regional-response-aerospace-sector-underway

  • People buying their main homes in Wales costing less than £250,000 will not pay any tax under temporary measures announced by the Finance Minister.

  • The latest information published by Public Health Wales shows have been a further 18 confirmed cases of coronavirus bringing the total to 16,854 in Wales, although the actual number will be higher.
o   Public Health Wales has reported two more deaths today bringing the total to 1,545 deaths in Wales.

Where to find the latest information

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