(Title Image: ITV Wales)
- Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru MSs back the firebreak lockdown to help reduce strain on NHS critical care services.
- Despite backing, MSs express numerous concerns over the capacity within testing and contract tracing services; call for clearer communication from the government.
- First Minister accuses the Conservatives of ignoring the available evidence.
The Motion (Final/Amended Version)
The Senedd:
- Recognises the seriousness of the position created by growing numbers of Covid-19 cases in Wales and agrees that a short ‘firebreak’ period should be introduced to bring down the rate of transmission, minimise clusters of infection and to further strengthen the Test Trace Protect system.
- Agrees that a firebreak must be underpinned by additional support to protect livelihoods and wellbeing and notes emergency financial support brought forward by the Welsh Government for businesses.
- Agrees that additional resources should be provided to the Test Trace Protect system to ensure all results are returned within 24 hours of a test.
- Agrees that the firebreak should be used as an opportunity to plan and implement a new set of interventions based on a Zero Covid/elimination strategy which aims to avoid successive waves of lockdowns through measures not limited to: mass testing (including asymptomatic contacts); ventilation; preventing the importation of cases from outside Wales; practical and financial support for those isolating; clear and consistent public communication; extending mask-wearing to other settings.
- Calls on the Welsh Government to review its hospital infection control policies for preventing hospital-acquired infections of Covid-19 and to consider establishing designated Covid-19 free sites to facilitate timely and secure treatment for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
A serious situation
Running through a list of measures announced earlier this week, the Health Minister, Vaughan Gething (Lab, Cardiff S. & Penarth), said the NHS faced a very real risk of being overwhelmed if the second wave of Covid-19 isn’t brought under control.
One-in-four critical care beds were occupied by a Covid-19 patient and while normal capacity was 152 beds, 167 beds are currently in use.
Plaid Cymru supported the firebreak and their amendments to the original motion were approved (largely though abstentions).
Adam Price MS (Plaid, Carms. E & Dinefwr) said time was a luxury we no longer had and the decision is based on clear evidence presented to the Welsh Government which said that if no action was taken up to an additional 1,300 people in Wales would die from Covid-19 before the end of 2020.
Despite the overall support, Plaid MSs and some Labour backbenchers called for urgent improvements to the testing system (particularly regular testing of asymptomatic NHS workers), additional support for carers and clearer public information (particularly in light of fake news widely circulated relating to golfing doctors and bed capacity at Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital).
Honest appraisal needed of measures taken to date
There was scepticism of the firebreak from the Conservatives.
Leader of the Opposition, Paul Davies MS (Con, Preseli Pembs.) thought lockdowns should be carefully targeted using local data on case numbers. He echoed comments from others on the inadequacies of the current track and trace system and called for more support to be made available to those who may be suffering from mental health or wellbeing problems during the firebreak.
In replying to the debate, the First Minister mocked the Conservatives for only making a single contribution. There was also more than enough data available for the Chief Medical Officer and scientific advisers to recommend a mini-lockdown. Voting against the motion would place them at odds with that advice.
Vote
