Coronavirus update from the Welsh Government

The Welsh Government's latest coronavirus update (dated yesterday) is:

• A £17.7m funding package to help spectator sports severely impacted by the pandemic has been announced today by the Welsh Government.
• It has been designed to provide immediate financial support for spectator sports through the remainder of the winter period to ensure they will be ready for the beginning of the new season in September.
• https://gov.wales/ministers-announce-177m-spectator-sports-survival-fund
• GPs in rural communities have joined forces to set up community vaccination centres to help vaccinate more people closer to home over the weekend: https://gov.wales/gps-join-forces-vaccinate-over-80s-closer-home
• Updated: Guidance for unpaid carers: https://gov.wales/guidance-unpaid-carers-coronavirus-covid-19
• Guidance: How to self-isolate if you’re travelling to Wales: https://gov.wales/how-self-isolate-when-you-travel-wales-coronavirus-covid-19

 

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 872 newly reported cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 188,583 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• Very sadly, there were 23 deaths reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 4,553.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

• The number of people who have received a Covid vaccine in Wales is being published every weekday by Public Health Wales.
• The latest figures show 270,833 people have received their first dose
• And 543 people have received two doses of the vaccine
• https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

 

• The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today published an article including an analysis of 7,961 deaths involving COVID-19 by occupation in England and Wales between 9 March and 28 December 2020.
• Taking age into account, deaths were higher in men compared with women.
• When looking at broad groups of occupations, men who worked in elementary occupations or caring, leisure and other service occupations had the highest rates of death involving Covid-19.
• In women, process, plant and machine operatives and caring, leisure and other service occupations had the highest rates of death involving Covid-19.
• Almost three in four of the deaths involving Covid-19 in social care occupations were in care workers and home carers.
• Rates of death involving Covid-19 in men and women who worked as teaching and educational professionals, such as secondary school teachers, were not raised when compared with the rates seen in the population among those of the same age and sex.
• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19relateddeathsbyoccupationenglandandwales/deathsregisteredbetween9marchand28december2020

 

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/ and https://gov.wales/vaccine-coronavirus
• 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   Health Minister Vaughan Gething held today’s press briefing. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1353677948826476546

o   Slides used in the press briefing are available here: https://gov.wales/slides-and-datasets-minister-health-and-social-services-coronavirus-briefing-25-january-2021