Pandemic update from the Welsh Government

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

• The advice to people who are clinically extremely vulnerable – the shielding group – has changed today. They are being advised not to go to work or school outside the home.
• This is particularly the case for those whose work requires them to be in regular or sustained contact with other people, or where individuals share a poorly ventilated workspace for long periods.
• Letters from the Chief Medical Officer for Wales will be issued confirming this advice but will take some time to reach individuals due to the festive period.
• The letters will be able to be used as evidence for the purposes of claiming statutory sick pay.
• https://gov.wales/written-statement-new-advice-those-who-are-clinically-extremely-vulnerable-previously-shielding
• New findings from the Welsh Government National Survey on loneliness confirms that feelings of loneliness show a strong relationship with well-being, and that lonely people reported much lower satisfaction with life: https://gov.wales/welsh-government-ministers-say-anyone-can-feel-lonely-help-and-support-available
• Alert level four FAQs: https://gov.wales/alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions 

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 2,761 newly reported cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 128,089 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• Very sadly, there were 24 further deaths reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 3,149.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary  

• Public Health Wales is publishing the bi-weekly local authority review of coronavirus cases, which includes details of infection rates in people under 25 and over 60 – the report is available under the local authority tab on the surveillance dashboard: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary
• The Office for National Statistics has today published statistics on provisional weekly deaths, including deaths involving Covid-19, for the week ending 11 December.
• There were 4,200 deaths involving Covid-19 in Welsh residents. Of the deaths registered in the week ending 11 December, there were provisionally 223 deaths involving Covid-19 registered in Welsh residents. This was 16 more than the previous week. The numbers are now at a similar level to early May.
• For the period 29 February to 11 December, there were a total of 3,429 excess deaths (14%) above the five-year average. The excess death rate for Wales for the period 29 February to 11 December was lower than in England
• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest 

• The Welsh Government and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) publish provisional counts of the number of adult care homes reporting one or more confirmed cases of Covid-19 and provisional counts of deaths in care homes, based on notifications by care home providers to CIW.
• 106 adult care homes in Wales have had one or more confirmed cases of Covid-19, in staff or residents, in the last seven days.
• 313 adult care homes in Wales have had one or more confirmed cases of Covid-19, in staff or residents, in the last 28 days.
• CIW have been notified of 6,265 deaths (from all causes) in adult care home residents since 1 March 2020. This is 39% higher than the same time period last year and 37% higher than for the same period in 2018.
• CIW has been notified of 1,170 care home resident deaths with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 (19% of all adult care home residents-reported deaths since 1 March 2020).
• https://gov.wales/notifications-care-inspectorate-wales-related-covid-19-adult-care-homes-1-march-18-december-2020-html 

What to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus

• The symptoms of coronavirus are a high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change in smell or taste.
• If you have symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, you must self-isolate at home for 10 days from when your symptoms started.
• Guidance about self-isolating: https://gov.wales/self-isolation-stay-home-guidance-households-possible-coronavirus
• Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
• You should arrange to have a test to see if you have coronavirus once you are self-isolating. You can book a test at https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-covid-19-test
• You should continue to isolate while waiting for a test result.
• Got a question about what to do if you’ve got coronavirus? Visit https://gov.wales/self-isolation-stay-home-guidance-households-possible-coronavirus  

Where to find the latest information

• Information about the new national measures in place in Wales is available at: https://gov.wales/alert-level-4

• Public Health Wales provides a daily update about the number of cases of coronavirus in Wales. It is available at: https://covid19-phwstatement.nhs.wales/
• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Questions about Covid-19 vaccines? Visit: https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/immunisation-and-vaccines/covid-19-vaccination-information/
• Information about support for businesses is available at the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• The Welsh Government holds a regular media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and supported by a BSL interpreter. These are held at 12.15pm and live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel.

o   The next press briefing will be held on January 4, 2021.