Coronavirus update from the Welsh Government

Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government (dated yesterday) is:

• First Minister Mark Drakeford has today confirmed Wales’ lockdown will continue for a further three weeks, until January 29
• Decisions about schools and colleges are being brought into line with the three-week review cycle – young people will continue to learn online until at least January 29.
• But unless cases of coronavirus fall by the next review date, schools and colleges will not reopen until the February half-term.
• The First Minister also announced steps to strengthen measures in shops and workplaces which remain open.
• Written statement: https://gov.wales/written-statement-review-health-protection-coronavirus-restriction-no5-wales-regulations-2020
• Press notice: https://gov.wales/first-minister-stay-home-save-lives
• Watch the First Minister’s press conference again: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1347517298882473986
• More information about alert level four lockdown: https://gov.wales/alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions

 

• Legislation to further suspend evictions until 31 March 2021 will come into force from 11 January the Minister for Housing and Local Government Julie James has confirmed: https://gov.wales/legislation-further-suspend-evictions-comes-force
• Education Minister Kirsty Williams has asked universities in Wales to review their plans and risk assessments in light of the new variant strain of coronavirus.
• Students and staff should stay at home and work or study from home if they can. They should only attend their place of work or study if they can’t work from home. Universities will let students know when they can return to campus.
• https://gov.wales/written-statement-update-delivery-higher-education-wales
• Updated guidance for higher education: https://gov.wales/guidance-higher-education-keep-wales-safe-covid-19

 

• The Technical Advisory Group has published a paper about the new variant strain of coronavirus and education: https://gov.wales/technical-advisory-group-variant-concern-and-education-wales
• Travellers from Israel, Botswana, Mauritius and the Seychelles will be required to isolate on arrival in Wales as changes are made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020.
• Equivalent measures to those in place for travellers from South Africa are being introduced for people travelling to the UK from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, Angola and to the Seychelles and Mauritius following the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus.
• The sectoral exemptions for travellers arriving from these countries will be removed and all travellers arriving into Wales who have been in these countries in the previous 10 days will be required to isolate for 10 days and will only be able to leave isolation in very limited circumstances.
• More information: https://gov.wales/written-statement-health-protection-coronavirus-international-travel-wales-amendments-17

 

• Results of the latest ONS infection survey: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid-19-infection-survey-27-december-2020-2-january-2021

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 2,487 newly reported cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 165,721 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• Very sadly, there were 56 deaths reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 3,857.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

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 First Minister held today’s press conference. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1347517298882473986

o   The slides used in today’s press conference are available at: https://gov.wales/slides-and-datasets-first-ministers-coronavirus-briefing-8-january-2021