General Covid 19 news

[SteveH]

First Minister Mark Drakeford gives supermarkets ‘discretion’ to sell non-essential items
The restrictions imposed under the 'firebreak' lockdown has seen aisles cordoned off in stores across Wales

Supermarkets have “discretion” over the Welsh Government’s ban on selling non-essential items during the firebreak lockdown, the First Minister has said.

Mark Drakeford said people may need to buy such products “for entirely unexpected reasons which they couldn’t have foreseen” during the 17-day period.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/first-minister-mark-drakeford-gives-19165006

[Bri Roberts]

Ministers issued a list that "we consider that the regulations allow" to be sold in supermarkets:
Food and drink
Products linked to the sale of food and drink - mainly disposable items used for the preparation and storage of food like kitchen foil, food bags and cling film but also basic products necessary to prepare and eat food and drink
Products for washing clothes and for cleaning and maintaining the home, including batteries, light bulbs and fuel
Toiletries and cosmetic products, including toilet rolls and sanitary products
Pharmaceutical products
Baby products including equipment, clothes and nappies
Newspapers and magazines
Stationery and greetings cards

 

[Hugo]

That's a definite get out of jail card Bri       

Now what about an essential present too?         

[Bri Roberts]

Of course, Hugo, but I must remember it has to be essential.

[Hugo]

The situation with the Coronavirus is getting more political and confusing by the day so it's understandable that people are not sure what is going on.
Each of the four nations has different rules and regulations to follow and England seems to be the most relaxed in it's rules so no wonder that the virus is spreading at an alarming rate.
At the lockdown in the Spring it was said that the R rating was crucial and needed to go below 1 and preferably nearer 0.5 but today on the news London was quoted as having an R rating of 2.86   yet it is not in lockdown.
That's inexplicable but once London goes into Lockdown then the rest of the UK will do so too.    It's the old North and South divide again

[SteveH]

First Minister warns that early coronavirus vaccine will not be a 'get out of jail free card'

In a special interview, he said that he is ‘allergic' to offering the people of Wales the prospect of a ‘magic moment’ when everything will just be ok again.

He added: “I think there’s a lot of progress on vaccines and in the next calendar year we will begin to see vaccines become available, but I worry that when most people hear that they think of the MMR vaccine where when you have it as a child you’re ok for life.


“Or at most it’s like the flu vaccine where you have it once and you’re ok for the rest of the year, but actually the vaccine likely to come on the earliest will not be like that.     cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18836011.first-minister-warns-early-coronavirus-vaccine-will-not-get-jail-free-card/

[SteveH]

The first Briton in Wuhan to contract the deadly coronavirus is twenty five year old Connor Reed from Llandudno.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7959643/First-Briton-contract-coronavirus-claims-shook-infection-hot-toddy-whisky.html

I read this headline yesterday but it did not click it was the same man from the above story, sad news for this young mans family, ...........

Welshman who was 'first Brit to catch Covid-19' dies at university halls

Despite the best efforts of his friends and paramedics, Connor Reed died at his flat at Bangor University on Sunday, October 25 in what was described as a "tragic accident" by his mum Hayley in a Facebook post. He was 26.

Fluent in Mandarin, Mr Reed, of Llandudno, had been diagnosed with the virus in December after he had been working at a college in Wuhan, China.   

cont  https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/welshman-who-first-brit-catch-19203371

[SteveH]

A North Wales Rainbow Hospital is opening beds to accept up to 30 patients next week, as Covid-19 cases continue to rise.

They will be at Ysbyty Enfys at Deeside Leisure Centre, in Flintshire, to care for people recovering from the virus.

Health chiefs say it in response to increasing pressures, particularly in the centre and east of the region.

Two other Rainbow Hospitals were opened earlier this year at  Venue Cymru  in  Llandudno and the Brailsford Centre at  Bangor University, to provide extra capacity following the outbreak. They are currently not being used to take patients.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-rainbow-hospital-receive-19232485

[SteveH]

Firebreak may have paved 'path to Christmas' but its success won't be known for weeks warns minister
Mark Drakeford said that although early indications show that people in Wales have followed the rules, he would not be surprised if cases continue to rise.

He said: "I've been saying to people in Wales the question we need to ask ourselves is not what can I do, how far can I stretch the rules, but what should I do, what should I do to keep myself and other people safe?   (Very JFK !)

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/firebreak-paved-path-christmas-success-19244648

[SteveH]

Welsh Government pressed to test wild mink for signs of mutant coronavirus
Travel curbs between Denmark and the UK have been put in place but the Welsh Conservatives are seeking greater reassurance

More than 17m farmed mink are being culled and dumped in mass graves in Denmark in a bid to eradicate a mutated strain of coronavirus that’s been found in the mammals.

The Welsh and UK Governments have imposed travel restrictions to prevent the “Cluster 5” variant arriving from Denmark amid concerns it is now circulating in human populations.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/welsh-government-pressed-test-wild-19262453

[SteveH]

There are more patients in hospitals in Wales with Covid-19 than at any time - including the peak of the pandemic.

Latest figures show 1,529 beds are occupied - 20% of all patients in hospital.

They include 983 beds occupied with confirmed Covid-19 patients.
However, the number of patients in critical care or on ventilators with coronavirus has only reached 40% of the levels at the height of the first wave.

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54916679

[SteveH]

Fifteen residents at a care home have died in a three-week period following a coronavirus outbreak.          ref DP

A total of 56 residents and 33 staff members at the Llangollen Fechan Care Home in Llangollen have also tested positive for the virus.

An "incident management team" made up of Denbighshire Council, Public Health Wales and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has now been set up to try to control the outbreak.
Nicola Stubbins, co-chairman of the team, said: "We have been working together to investigate a number of cases of coronavirus in staff and residents at Llangollen Fechan Care Home in Llangollen.

[SteveH]

The coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford is highly effective at stopping people developing Covid-19 symptoms, a large trial shows.

Interim data suggests 70% protection, but the researchers say the figure may be as high as 90% by tweaking the dose.

The results will be seen as a triumph, but come after Pfizer and Moderna vaccines showed 95% protection.

However, the Oxford jab is far cheaper, and is easier to store and get to every corner of the world than the other two.

So the vaccine will play a significant role in tackling the pandemic, if it is approved for use by regulators.

"The announcement today takes us another step closer to the time when we can use vaccines to bring an end to the devastation caused by [the virus]," said the vaccine's architect, Prof Sarah Gilbert.

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55040635

[SteveH]

Personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpiles in England were inadequate for the Covid pandemic and price rises earlier this year cost taxpayers about £10bn, the spending watchdog has said.

The government said the NAO's report recognised that NHS providers had been able to get what they needed in time.

Almost £12.5billion  was spent on 32bilion items of PPE between February and July 2020.

During the same period in 2019, 1.3billion items were bought at a cost of £28.9million

Each item had been "substantially" more expensive in 2020, because of very high global demand, the NAO said, from almost triple the cost for respirator masks to more than 14 times as much for body bags.

Had the government been able to pay 2019 prices, it would have spent £2.5bn on PPE in 2020.

In reality, it had spent £12.5bn, including hundreds of millions on "unsuitable" items that could not be used.

Some had "passed its expiry date or did not meet current safety standards", the watchdog said, with "insufficient checks" meaning Public Health England had had to recall eye protectors that did not meet standards.

NAO head Gareth Davies said: "As PPE stockpiles were inadequate for the pandemic, government needed to take urgent action to boost supplies.
"Once it recognised the gravity of the situation... the price of PPE increased dramatically, and that alone has cost the taxpayer around £10bn."

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55061183

[Ian]

Well, that's political preparedness for you.