“Avoid unnecessary travel” likely to form a key part of new Welsh Covid-19 measures
With further changes to coronavirus restrictions set to be announced to the public later, Adam Price MS (Plaid, Carms. E. & Dinwfwr), was this second wave down to the public not obeying the rules or bad policy?
He supported local lockdowns, believing that not placing tighter restrictions on areas with low transmission rates will incentivise people in all areas to stick to the rules.
The First Minister said that many of the measures announced for England – encouraging working from home, a legal obligation on businesses regarding 2-metre social distancing and stricter restrictions on different households meeting – were already in effect in Wales and backed by regulations.
He hinted that advice to avoid unnecessary travel will form a key part of new national measures in Wales, to be announced later:
“I think that as a message to people everywhere about minimising travel and staying close to home as much as you are able to is another brick in a national wall that we can build. After that, I’m still of the same mind as Adam Price suggested that local measures for local circumstances at this point in the virus remain the right response in Wales.”
– First Minister, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West)
A question of trust
Filling in for the Leader of the Opposition, Suzy Davies MS (Con, South Wales West), pointed to the First Minister’s comments at Labour’s virtual conference on rebuilding trust with the public ahead of the next Senedd election.
The Health Minister’s “Orwellian” comments about compulsory Covid-19 vaccination on ITV’s Sharp End didn’t help matters; though the Minister has since categorically denied there are any plans for mandatory vaccination.
Another possible example of trust being broken was the recent Public Health Wales data leak:
“….we’ve had data issues three times in a row now. Once – obviously, that would be misfortune. Twice would be carelessness. But a third time suggests to me we’ve got a Welsh Government that’s not that keen on taking responsibility for something that has really shocked a lot of people here. We are relying on track and trace to be the answer to keeping this pandemic under control, and to avoid….national lockdowns.”
– Suzy Davies MS
The First Minister went on the attack. It was clear from surveys on public trust that the people of Wales trust the Welsh Government far more than the UK Government. Having earned the electorate’s trust five times in a row it’s right not to take a sixth time for granted.
On track and trace, it was clear the Welsh system was highly-trusted as well:
“….of the 440 positive cases that were eligible for follow up in the track test, trace, protect system in the most recent period, 96% were reached, and they provided details of their recent contacts. That says to me that our system is very well trusted and very well regarded, and 89% of all those contacts were also successfully contacted and were able to have their cases resolved. We have very high levels of trust in the Welsh system, and anything that she says to the contrary is simply borne out by the facts.”
– First Minister, Mark Drakeford
