Hundreds of eligible people in the 50 to 64 year old age group turned up at a rain-swept Llangollen Pavilion for their flu jabs this morning (Sunday).
Those receiving the injections in the busy drive-through session, which has now finished, had to pre-book their places.
The jabs were given by a team from Llangollen Health Centre while volunteers from the Tidy Town Team took care of traffic management.
Latest roadworks from one.network is:
Regent Street,
Llangollen, Denbighshire
15
December — 18 December
Delays
likely - Traffic control (two-way signals)
Works
location: OUTSIDE 36.
Works
description: NEW SERVICE LAYING - 3 PUBLIC OUTSIDE OF 36 REGENT
STREET...
Responsibility
for works: Wales & West Utilities Limited
Current
status: Planned work about to start
Works
reference: XY254004000165215
* The testing centre at Market Street car park.
The Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board has set up a temporary Covid-19 testing centre on the Market Street car park, which opens at 9.30am this morning (Saturday).
The walk-in and drive-in centre, which will stay open until 3.30pm and remain there until Monday December 28, is located in the coach parking area of the car park.
The health board says the aim is to make it easier for people in the area to get tested for Covid-19 closer to home.
The board adds that no appointment is needed for a test. Anybody with symptoms of COVID-19 can attend for testing.
The temporary testing unit in Ruthin has now closed.
* For more details about testing, go to: https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/book-a-covid-19-test/
Following discussion with all of its schools, Denbighshire County Council has taken the decision to close all of its primary schools, special schools and pupil referral units from Wednesday (December 16) for face to face learning.
This follows
the Welsh Government decision to move all secondary schools and colleges in
Wales to online learning from Monday (December 14).
Cllr Huw
Hilditch-Roberts, the Council’s Lead Member for Education, Children's Services
and Public Engagement, said: “We have reluctantly taken the decision to close
our primary schools for face to face learning early. Confirmed cases associated
with Denbighshire schools continue to be in single figures owing to the hard
work of pupils, parents and staff.
“With primary
schools closing across North Wales, the Council felt it had no choice but to
take the decision to provide continuity with other areas, giving parents and
guardians sufficient notice to prepare and to further ensure the safety of
children and staff in the run up to Christmas.
“Primary schools
will remain open for vulnerable learners and the children of key workers until
Friday, December 18.”
The Welsh
Government announced the decision to move all secondary schools and colleges in
Wales to online learning as part of a ‘national effort to reduce transmission
of coronavirus’ following advice from Wales’s Chief Medical Officer.
Cllr
Hilditch-Roberts added: “As we approach Christmas and the end of term I want to
thank all pupils, staff and families for their support and their effort in the
fight against COVID-19.
“Primary
schools, special schools, pupil referral units and secondary schools in the
county will be arranging remote learning for pupils until December 18 and to
echo the words of the Education Minister, this period is not an early Christmas
holiday.
“Christmas is
a time of great excitement and joy for our students but it is also a time when
the temptation to stray from the strict rules we have been asked to follow may
be higher than ever. It is important for everyone who has worked tirelessly to
enjoy a happy Christmas holiday that we continue to observe the rules as I know
so many of you have.
“I would again
like to thank pupils, parents and staff for their support during what has been
a hugely challenging term for all of our schools and the communities they
support and work in.”
The final day
of face to face learning for primary schools will be Wednesday, December 16
with remote learning for pupils taking place on December 17 and 18.
* First Minister Mark Drakeford.
An updated version of Wales’s covid control plan will be published next week, the First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.The plan
sets out in detail how national measures will be introduced in a more uniform
and predictable way, depending on a range of indicators, including the level of
the virus in Wales and the risk of infection.
It updates the approach to changing restrictions set out in Leading Wales out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Unlocking Our Society and Economy.
And it aims to provide greater certainty for people and businesses about the
restrictions, which are needed to protect people’s health and slow the spread
of the virus.
Wales is
currently at alert level three. The national measures were strengthened on
December 4 in response to rapidly accelerating levels of coronavirus across
Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “This has been a truly challenging year. The impact of coronavirus on us all – on all aspects of our lives – cannot be underestimated. Like almost every country in the world, we have put restrictions in place to control the spread of this deadly virus.
“This
updated plan shows how the national measures will be introduced in a more
uniform way as we move through the pandemic, providing greater certainty for
people and businesses.”
The
updated plan has been informed by latest analysis from our scientific and
medical experts and the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).
It has also been informed by the experience in other parts of the UK.
The plan
sets out four alert levels – from alert level one to alert level four:
The First
Minister said that if the strengthened national measures, together with the
efforts everyone is making, do not succeed in reducing the rates of coronavirus,
Wales will need to move to alert level four after the five-day Christmas
period. But this move is not a foregone conclusion.
He added: “The most important thing we can all do to control the spread of coronavirus is to reduce the number of people are in contact with. This virus thrives on human behaviour – whenever and wherever we come together and spend time together, the virus can be transmitted from person to person.”
The
national measures will continue to be reviewed every three weeks, whatever
alert level Wales is currently in.
* Simon Baynes MP, right, and Robert Gordon, chairman Llangollen Railway Trust, at the Dee Valley Bridge.
Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes made a visit to Llangollen Railway to learn more about how the team are progressing with repairs and renewal of the Dee Bridge.
To run trains over the bridge next year the railway has had to replace its worn-out timbers.
New woodwork cost £15,000 and an appeal was launched in November by Llangollen Railway Trust to raise
the required funds.
The
appeal has proven a major success with members of the public and the trust together raising the entire amount.
During his visit Mr Baynes met trust chairman Robert Gordon who said: “I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to our appeal in helping to raise the money to enable these works to take place and also the volunteers and staff of Llangollen Railway who are undertaking these critical works to enable services to continue to run next year.”
Simon Baynes MP said: “Everyone at the Llangollen Railway Trust is doing an excellent job of carrying out the necessary repairs to run train services in 2021.
"I was really impressed to hear more about their plans for the forthcoming year despite the challenges posed by Covid, with new services being planned for the restored Corwen station.”
Retailers, pubs, restaurants and other businesses affected by coronavirus will now be protected from eviction until the end of March 2021, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales Ken Skates (pictured) has announced.
As part of the
action Welsh Government is taking to support the business community from the
impact of Covid-19 the moratorium against forfeiture for the non-payment of
rent, which was due to end on 31 December, will now be extended until 31 March
2021.
While businesses
should continue to pay rent wherever possible, the latest measure will ensure
no business is forced out of its premises if it misses a payment between now
and the end of March 2021. The move will help ease the burden on a range of
sectors, including retail and hospitality, at what continues to be a time of
immense challenge.
Since the start of
the pandemic Welsh Government has put together the most generous package of
support for business anywhere in the UK, worth nearly £2bn. This includes £340m
that is available through the latest round of the Economic Resilience Fund to
support businesses affected by restrictions that came into force on 4th December.
Ken Skates, said: “Despite all of our
ongoing efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus, instances of the virus
remain worryingly high. We recognise that the ongoing restrictions and wider
behaviour changes are putting significant pressure on many of our businesses
and we are working hard to quickly support our businesses with the most
generous support offer for business anywhere in the UK.
“As part of that
package of support, I am pleased that we are also able to extend measures to
prevent forfeiture for the non-payment of rent. This will protect many
businesses from eviction and help to secure jobs, safeguard businesses and
shield our economy over the critical months to come.
“We will continue
to put pressure on the UK Government to provide further support as we progress
towards a prosperous post-pandemic Wales.”
The Deputy
Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn said: “Supporting Welsh
businesses whilst balancing the need to protect our most vulnerable and stop
the spread of the virus has not been an easy task. Ensuring retailers, pubs,
restaurants and other businesses will be protected from eviction until the end
of March 2021 is just one of the ways we helping our town centres to not just
get by but come back better as they safely continue to trade during this
challenging time.
“Giving our towns
a sense of place is more important than ever, and in line with our Transforming
Towns agenda we will continue to work collaboratively with partners to build
sustainable town centres for the future where businesses can thrive.”
