Fully vaccinated adults no longer need to self-isolate

All adults who have been fully-vaccinated will no longer have to self-isolate if they are identified as close contacts of someone with coronavirus from 7 August, the First Minister has confirmed.

The changes to the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect (TTP) service for fully-vaccinated adults will come into effect from 7 August – the same day as Wales is expected to move to alert level zero, if the public health situation allows.

Children and young people under 18 will also be exempt from the need to self-isolate if they are also identified as close contacts of a positive case.

But everyone who tests positive for coronavirus or has symptoms must continue to isolate for 10 days, whether they have been vaccinated or not.

The TTP service will use the Welsh Immunisation Service to identify adults who are fully-vaccinated and who will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are identified as close contacts.

From 7 August, instead of instructing fully-vaccinated adults to isolate, contact tracers and advisers will provide them with advice and guidance about how to protect themselves and stay safe.

The TTP service will provide a “warn and inform” service for all fully-vaccinated adults and under-18s, who are identified as close contacts.

Some extra safeguards will be put in place for those working with vulnerable people, particularly health and social care staff, including a risk assessment for staff working in health and care and daily lateral flow tests. Members of the public will be strongly advised not to visit hospitals and care homes for 10 days.

Everyone identified as a contact of a positive case will continue to be advised to have a PCR test on day two and day eight, whether they are fully vaccinated or not.

The changes will help ease the pressure on vital services caused by the recent rapid rise in Covid cases, driven by the delta variant over the last two months.

Cases have risen by 800% since the end of May, when they were at very low levels. Over the last week case rates have started to fall in all parts of Wales.

Almost 80% of adults in Wales have been fully vaccinated – the best rates in the UK and some of the best in the world.

UK Government Minister visits Llangollen Railway

* Simon Baynes and Amanda Milling speak to 

volunteers at the station.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes welcomed the Conservative Party Chairman and UK Government Minister, Amanda Milling, on a socially distanced visit to Llangollen Railway following its reopening earlier this month.

Mrs Milling’s visit came as part of her Levelling Up Tour during which she is visiting areas which are part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda to provide jobs and opportunities across the whole of the UK. 

Llangollen Railway is part of an area bid for Levelling Up funding to help create opportunity and economic prosperity in Clwyd South.

Mr Baynes and Mrs Milling met with volunteers on the platform and took a train from Llangollen to Berwyn Station and back again on which the driver was John Joyce and the guard was Matt Carty.

They also met with Paul Reynolds (Operations Manager), Bob Creasey (Secretary to the Board), Phil Freeth (Finance Director), Mike Williams, Tom Taylor (Advisor to the Board). 

Overall, there are 600 active volunteers helping the Llangollen Railway including a fast-growing youth group. 

Mrs Milling said: “It was brilliant to visit Llangollen Railway as part of my Levelling Up tour of the United Kingdom.

“It was great to hear about the work that the volunteers do for the railway and the tourists that enjoy visiting. 

“Levelling up our country is a key mission of this Conservative government to help improve communities across the country. 

“I wish Simon and the team at Llangollen the best of luck with their area levelling up bid which I know would help create opportunity and economic prosperity in the area.” 

Simon Baynes said: “It was a great pleasure to welcome Amanda Milling MP to Llangollen and to showcase the amazing work of our volunteers in bringing the railway back into action after so many months. 

"It was a pleasure to meet again with everyone involved on the platform and to make a special journey between Llangollen and Berwyn and back with the Conservative Party Chairman.

“It was also a very valuable opportunity for me to stress the benefits of UK Government investment for our communities in Clwyd South which would benefit massively following the Covid-19 pandemic and would help unlock the potential of our young people by bringing in new jobs and opportunities. 

"I will continue to make the case for our area to receive Levelling Up funding, and I look forward to working with UK Government Ministers to advance our case over the coming months.”

Audi's luxury hybrid has some serious tech

Audi A8 plug-in hybrid drive by Steve Rogers

It is packed with the sort of wizard technology you would expect to find in a jet fighter with a computer system to match,  and thanks to an electric motor Audi's luxury A8 is good to go until 2035.

Hybrid cars have been given a five year lease of life after new petrol and diesel engined cars are confined to history in 2030.... unless the Government of the day has to do an embarrassing U-turn because we are not ready to switch to electric motoring.

Let's not worry about that, back to the here and now the German giant's flagship has been given a new lease of life thanks to electric power that makes it cleaner, quieter and quicker.

Helping out the three litre V6 petrol is an electric motor that racks up around 110bhp bringing the tally to a whopping 443bhp. But the key number is 500 and that is the Newton metres of torque blasting out when the accelerator is plunged although to get this cruise missile performance switch to sport mode because in standard drive the eight speed tiptronic gearbox is a tad slow to respond.

Is this a car for tearing away from the traffic lights? Of course not, the A8 will spend most of its time cruising cities and motorways with nothing more than the whisper of wind to disturb the passengers who will more than likely be chauffeured.

This is the sort of car seen depositing A listers at movie premiers, one down from a Rolls-Royce or Bentley at less than half the price. Sumptuous leather interior, thick pile carpets, gadgets galore, and the smoothest of rides thanks to air suspension on both axles. This car will even glide over a speed bump.

The silent running comes into play with the battery powered electric motor which is good for about 29 miles and can be driven at up to 84mph, but the hybrid really comes into its own in towns and cities where it is keeping the air clean and getting the most miles out of the batteries.

Audi has been pushing the boundaries on technology since A8 was introduced in 2003 and this fourth generation is another tour de force. The driver's digital cockpit has become a regular feature, interchangeable with fantastic high definition Google mapping. The main change has come in the centre console, a bone of contention with many, and I am at the front of the queue.

The rotary controller, and efficient and safe way of selecting the various functions, has been replaced by touch screens which are not difficulty to master but still drawer eyes away from the road.

I tried voice control but my Welsh accent was too much for the young lady who failed to pick up a post code or tune me into Radio 2 or 5 Live. Somehow my instruction brought up Radio Wales.

What I did like was the delicate click and vibration of the touch sensitive switches, the selection of colours for the mood lighting and the powered doors which open and close at the slightest touch on the handles.

The serious technology is centred around the car's safety features which virtually allow the car to drive itself by keeping it within its lane and a set distance to the vehicle in front, braking and accelerating according to the speed selected.

Audi has been in a decade's long battle for supremacy with Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series and, frankly, all three are brilliant cars, but for me the Audi just has the edge on interior finish. And then I was brought down to earth with a bump. Having spent many miles on roughish coastal roads an annoying creek developed in the trim around the sunroof. Shock, gasp. Even the mighty can falter.

It never ceases to amaze me that the big three charge a heap of money for their luxury cars but can still find room for extras. My test car was £91k but still had six grands worth of extras but that is small change if you can afford that for a car.

Fast facts

A8 60 TFSI e quattro

£91,550

3-litre petrol + electric motor 443bhp

0-62mph 4.9secs; 155mph

128.4mpg with electric assistance

36mpg petrol only

52g/km. VED £25

Insurance group 29

Boot: 390 litres

Road closures on busy route near Llangollen

A busy road near Llangollen will be affected by multiple closures at the beginning of next month, according to a story in the Oswestry Advertizer.

This says that the A483 stretch between Ruabon and Halton Roundabout, and the stretch between Halton and Gledrid Roundabout, will be closed on August 4 and 5, respectively to allow for general repairs and work on the grass verges.

Chirk town councillor Gareth Baines has explained that the closures will be overnight.

He said: "The advice from the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent advises closures between 19:00-06:00.

"Some of the work at Gledrid has already been undertaken overnight, resulting in one way traffic over Chirk Bridge."

* For the full story, see: Busy road near Chirk to close for works to be completed | Border Counties Advertizer

Voluntary council launches latest youth grant

Denbighshire Voluntary Service Council (DVSC) has launched its 2021-22 Youth Led Grant. 

A total of £4,960 is available to support a range of small volunteering projects and activities, led and carried out by young people which contribute towards the seven Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) goals.

DVSC says: "For many young people the past year has been incredibly hard with changes to social and education life. 

"Here at DVSC we wish to continue with our support for projects that can help young people in our communities. Our aim is to continue to fund young people in the area who have bright ideas on how they wish to solve some of the key challenges facing young people.

"Our Youth led Grants have been enabled by funding from the Welsh Government. 

"The purpose of the grant is to enable youth led activity to contribute towards the seven Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) goals.

"The Act is unique to Wales attracting interest from countries across the world as it offers a huge opportunity to make a long-lasting, positive change to current and future generations."

The deadline for this year's grant round is September 13, with a decision made on applications later that month. 

* To apply for the grant, fill out DVSC’s online application here.

If you want advice and guidance you contact DVSC’s bilingual Community Support team member, rhys@dvsc.co.uk or call him on 01824 702 441.

Offender tagging comes to north Wales

Burglars, thieves and robbers from North Wales will be fitted with GPS tag upon on their release from prison.

The ‘world first’ scheme was initially launched as a pilot in six police force areas, including Cheshire, but is now being extended to cover much of the rest of the country, including in North Wales, says a story in this week's Denbighshire Free Press.

* For the full story, see: Burglars, thieves and robbers in North Wales to be fitted with a GPS monitoring tags | Denbighshire Free Press

Plans in place for summer season in Denbighshire

* Extra parking spaces are to be created at Horseshoe Fall as part of the county council's summer plan.

Denbighshire County Council is informing residents of its plans to welcome visitors this summer.

With a busy summer expected, the council says it is working to manage the increase in visitors and has made a number of preparations.

Additional car parking spaces have been created at Moel Famau and Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen, while extra countryside rangers are being deployed at beauty spots, including Loggerheads and Moel Famau country parks and Horseshoe Falls, to provide information, support for visitors and help deal with any issues.

Extra street cleaning provision will be in place during the summer months focusing on busy areas in towns and parks, while increased bin emptying will be in operation at tourist hotspots.

The council is also working with regional partners to share messaging across the border around the differences in regulations between England and Wales.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire County Council, said: “Tourism contributes £552million a year to Denbighshire’s economy and we want people to come to Denbighshire this summer and return again year after year, so it is important we make the county safe and welcoming to visitors while giving residents confidence they remain safe.

“We have allocated additional resources during the summer months to manage the situation.

“We are asking people to plan ahead before visiting, think about avoiding busy areas or busy times and have a plan B if things look busy.

“It is important to always park responsibly in designated areas and to respect the countryside, this includes keeping dogs on a lead and to bring picnics rather than disposable barbeques.

“We would also remind people to be respectful to those working to ensure the safety and enjoyment of visitors and residents.

“It is important we all enjoy the summer and make the most of our freedoms but we have to remember Covid-19 has not gone away and to act safely, responsibly and respectfully.”

Residents and visitors are reminded parking restrictions are important for both road safety and ensuring there is a fair turnover of parking spaces.

Motorists not complying with parking restrictions risk receiving a Penalty Charge Notice.

The council developed its Destination Management Plan in partnership with tourism businesses across the county and has been coordinating activity to ensure a positive experience for visitors, residents and businesses this summer.

This includes encouraging visitors to plan, prepare and pre-book, coastal safety tips, and outdoor safety messages while social media graphics have been produced for businesses and Tourism Ambassadors.

* Find out more about the Council’s Destination Management Plan at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/destination-management-plan