Therefore the next item is a statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: coronavirus update. I call on the Minister to make the statement—Vaughan Gething. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Last Friday, Wales confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, which had been contracted whilst the person was in northern Italy. Other countries in the UK continue to report confirmed cases, including the first case of community transmission in England. Across the UK, we are now at a key point in the spread of this virus. We must continue to focus our efforts on isolating and containing to help prevent or delay its spread. 

The advice for returning travellers is being regularly updated. The nature of the evolving situation and the importance of taking a proportionate response means there is specific guidance for travellers returning from specific areas of the world. The latest advice can be accessed on both the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales websites, and the Public Health Wales website is, of course, updated at 3 o'clock every day.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website is the definitive source of travel advice for the British public. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to advise: that people do not travel to Hubei Province in China; to only undertake essential travel to mainland China; and to only undertake essential travel to a small number of specific areas within certain countries, including 11 specific small towns in northern Italy. That travel advice is being updated to reflect changing entry restrictions that are being imposed by some countries for recent travellers to affected areas. This travel advice is under constant review and people should regularly check the country-specific information on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

I would like to reiterate that anyone who has travelled back from an affected area or who has concerns that they're a close contact of a confirmed case should not attend their GP practice or present at hospital emergency departments. People should look on the Public Health Wales or Welsh Government websites for the latest advice. If, having considered the guidance online, people have concerns regarding coronavirus, they can now call the free 111 number from anywhere in Wales. Doing this will mean people get assessed by the right NHS staff and, at the same time, limit the possible spread to others.

I ask people to be patient and recognise the additional pressures this situation places on services that are already under pressure. People should remain calm whilst awaiting assistance. The need for assessment will be triaged based on an assessment of the likelihood of infection. We do need to remember that, to date, over 450 tests have taken place with only one imported case to Wales being confirmed out of the numbers tested. We also know that, even where cases are confirmed, the majority of people have mild or no real symptoms. People in Wales require urgent life-saving assistance on a daily basis from our NHS in relation to a range of sudden illnesses, long-term conditions or accidents. The NHS will rightly continue to prioritise life-threatening situations.

NHS Wales has already developed a test for the virus and has so far tested hundreds of individuals, as I have mentioned. This test has now been added to our existing disease surveillance programme in Wales. This will mean that certain GP practices will submit samples for testing as well as tests being undertaken in some of our intensive care units. This should ensure we're able to quickly identify any undetected spread of the virus within the population.

The community assessment and testing units set up by health boards, together with Public Health Wales, have meant the vast majority of people have been tested in their own home. It is an important feature of our response in Wales that over 90 per cent of tests have been carried out in that person's home. This approach has been vital in allowing our NHS to continue to respond to the services they provide and the heightened demand that we see through winter.

We have already asked health boards to identify areas away from emergency departments where individuals can be assessed without compromising other patients. This approach is intended both to direct individuals away from emergency departments and to avoid the potential risk of infecting others. We positively do not want people going to hospital for initial assessment if they are concerned that they may have coronavirus, or have symptoms having travelled to one of the specific at-risk areas.

Further planning and preventative work is under way. Our pandemic flu plans already exist, and organisations across our local resilience fora in Wales, as well as our NHS, have been asked to consider those plans. We want all our civil contingency partners to be ready and prepared to take action should the current situation escalate. These plans cover a variety of scenarios, including the reasonable worst-case scenarios. This is, of course, the responsible choice for the Welsh Government and our partners. We are preparing for the worst to ensure that we are in the best practical position to protect the health of the people of Wales.

The First Minister and I took part in yesterday's COBRA meeting. We continue to work closely with the UK Government and other national devolved Governments on coronavirus planning. A joint UK action plan was, of course, published earlier today. Members will be aware that Ministers across all four UK Governments are considering whether enhanced legal powers are necessary to contain or mitigate the potential impact of this virus. Work is taking place upon the foundation of the previous pandemic flu Bill preparations. Our aim is to have a single consistent piece of UK-wide legislation, if legislation is required. A number of matters would be reserved, but devolved powers must, of course, continue to be exercised by national devolved Governments.

Some major public events have been cancelled or postponed. This has typically been done to limit the risk of transmitting coronavirus at gatherings of large numbers of people. A number of school closures have taken place in other countries for similar reasons. Now, these are possible future choices for the Welsh Government to help slow the spread of the virus. We are, however, not at that stage. Schools should remain open. There is, of course, clear guidance for schools here in Wales that is publicly available on the Welsh Government website.

Enhanced monitoring arrangements are in place at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports. These airports receive direct flights from the majority of affected areas. Cardiff Airport and our other key seaports currently have public awareness materials in place. Enhanced monitoring arrangements for Cardiff Airport can be implemented at speed, should they be needed. The response needs to be proportionate. It is important to recognise that any entry screening has significant limitations in identifying potential cases.

These decisions are complex, and the Welsh Government, together with the other three national Governments across the UK, are advised by scientific experts and of course by the four chief medical officers. There is a careful balance to strike between protecting health and potentially doing more harm as a result of putting restrictions in place. The length of time any restrictions would need to be in place in order to effectively impact on the spread of the virus is one of our key considerations. Closing services such as schools or restricting travel have significant implications in their own right and may outweigh the benefit of delaying the spread of the virus.

The reality is, though, that often, the simple things are the most important. Everyone can help to protect themselves and others. The best way to slow the spread of respiratory viruses are to always carry tissues, use them to catch coughs and sneezes, bin the tissue, and then wash your hands with soap and water. 'Catch it, bin it, kill it', as I'm sure you'll hear me and many other people say for many days ahead.

Unfortunately, some people in Wales, just as in the rest of the UK, have been subjected to prejudiced and racist comments. For the avoidance of doubt, this Government does not tolerate and will not excuse the racism and prejudice that we have seen and heard. This global public health emergency does not discriminate between different races and faiths. Our people should not use this global public health emergency as an excuse to do so.

I want to end by thanking our staff. NHS and Welsh Government staff have worked long hours on all days to help prepare us for the potential impact of coronavirus. Our partners in local government and the emergency services have already been stretched by the current and continuing emergency response to significant flooding events around the country. I am grateful for their extraordinary and continuing commitment and professionalism. Public safety is their overriding priority, just as it is for this Government. I will, of course, continue to provide Members and the public with regular updates.

I have three key areas I'd like to briefly touch on, and then a series of questions. First of all, Minister, I'd like to thank you very much for all the communication with me, the telephone calls, and the meetings that you have afforded all of the opposition parties to keep us in the loop, both from yourself and the First Minister. Secondly, I would like to thank the staff in the NHS in Wales, and of course the chief medical officer, for understanding that, in the very busy lives that they already have, they're now having to go on to yet another degree and prepare for anything that may or may not happen. Thirdly, I would like to urge all of us to have responsibility and proportionality. Because, to be frank, a worse contagion is fear. I think we need to be sensible. We need to 'Catch it, bin it and kill it.' I think they're going to be the watchwords for all of us.

I'd like to start off by asking you: what can we do to get the public health message out loud and clear? In your statement today, you refer to various organisations, various departments, the public health website. Well, to be frank, I don't honestly think many members of the ordinary public will leap to consult the Public Health Wales website as a matter of first resort. So, I just wonder if we ought to look at tv or radio, just pushing that 'Catch it, bin it, kill it' and the washing of the hands messages.

Could you just tell us what you've done with the Minister for Education in terms of primary and secondary school children—because, of course, we all know that any bug of any sort can go like wildfire around schools—to actually get that message through to them? Because, we also know that pester power from young people is great; they, in turn, will go back and say to parents, friends and relatives the whole 'Catch it, bin it, kill it' message, and of course the message about lengthy, appropriate and proper washing of hands, not a quick couple of fingers under a tap.

Could you also, perhaps when you talk about the public health information campaign, reassure people about the virus itself and how long it can live? Because I've had people say to me, 'I've ordered something from a very large online retailer'—whose name I won't mention—'is it on the package because it's something from China?' Or, I've had businesses raising concerns about stuff that they're importing in. Where is the virus? Is it one of these that can live for an extended period of time? My understanding is it can't, but again it's about getting that message out so that people do not start panicking and thinking the end of the world is nigh, because I think that's incredibly important.

You mention in your statement that people can now access NHS 111. Can I just super clarify that with you? Because of course, 111 was only available in certain areas of Wales for a long time when it was being piloted and rolled out. Are you now saying that, throughout the whole of Wales, any concerns by anybody, it's 111 and they'll be directed to the right place, or do they still have to use the alternative that was there in the first place?

Could you also just let us know, throughout the NHS and social care, what information has been sent out to the myriad of different workers, from cleaners to consultants? Because again, I've had some people say they're well informed, and I've had other people saying that they haven't actually heard very much from their employer organisations. If you just have a view on that. So, all of that is about the public information.

I just want to turn my attention very briefly to legislation. I wonder if you can give us more detail on the timetable for legislation and confirm publicly, on the record, that powers that would be placed on the statute book would be for public health emergencies now and in the future, and that they have a very focused remit? Could you also assure the Parliament that, although one piece of legislation seems to be the favoured for all four nations, devolved matters will remain devolved, so that all the nations can use the legislation for the best interests of their respective countries? We may not have to use very much, because we may actually have very few cases, for example.

Are you able to give any legislative timescales? How will Assembly Members be able to scrutinise a Bill going through Westminster? I understand that the details are being worked up, and I'm very grateful for your intent to allow us—the opposition spokesmen and, I believe, the committee—to have a look at this whenever possible. Have COBRA also given thought to the public health information that would have to go through with any legislation, especially if it has things in it like the power to detain, the power to contain, the power to stop travel, to stop public gatherings, to do any of these other things? Because we live in a very liberal society, and our democracy may find just those very measures a bit of a shock, and difficult to take on board.

My apologies, Presiding Officer, this is such an important matter that I do want to plough on a little bit. Front-line staff—would you be able to outline what steps have been taken to protect front-line NHS and emergency services staff if this continues to develop? Also, although we're testing people, and thankfully they are being found negative, while we're testing them, we don't quite know that yet. We'd appreciate a little bit more detail when possible—I appreciate that you may not be able to do it today—on the primary care capacity. And will you be looking at measures such as, for example, one of the things that really strikes me is that we should, perhaps, insist that all GP surgeries do telephone triage, because, of course, we can still make appointments in a number of GP surgeries online, and when you're making an online appointment, you can't tell what that person's issue might be. So I just wondered if you might give thought to that.

Would you be able to expand on the First Minister's answer to the leader of the opposition on items such as emergency registration of health professionals, fitness to practice, indemnity costs, and so on and so forth? Are you giving any specific advice to people with underlying health conditions who have to regularly see their GPs, who have to regularly pick up prescriptions or to have blood tests? These are people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, where they have to go in on a regular basis, but is there any way to circumvent that, to keep them out of harm's way for as long as possible? Could you confirm, within Welsh Government, if there's an official in each portfolio leading on this matter—for example, within the business portfolio? Because of course there are many concerns from all the different communities that are represented by your Cabinet colleagues sitting around the table with you.

Finally, I'd like to say actually, to be frank, well done. Nobody can plan for the worst all the time. We don't want to be on a perpetual war footing, either as a Government here, a Government in the UK or indeed the NHS anywhere, and it is hard to just leap forward with all of these measures in one go, so I know that there has been some adverse commentary by some sections of society saying that we should have this, that and the other, but again, I come back to what I said, Llywydd, at the very beginning—that the worst pandemic is fear. I think that the Governments have behaved as responsibly and as swiftly as they can. I do want to see legislation and scrutinise it properly to ensure that it's fit for purpose, and I'm particularly keen that, whatever happens, we try and protect our NHS front-line staff as much as possible, because at the end of the day, they are our first line of defence, and we need them to be as well as possible. Thank you, Minister.

Thank you for the series of comments and questions. I'll try to make sure that I respond to each of them and I'll try to be brief in doing so, Presiding Officer.

There's a point about all of us promoting and using trusted sources of information—so, the information given by the chief medical officer, the information that the Welsh Government website promotes, and Public Health Wales. They are trusted sources of information that we should all be looking to promote to help with the simple messages, both about continuing to repeat the 'catch it, bin it, kill it' message, and I think we will get to the point where there will be a widespread understanding of it, because I expect to see virtually every spokesperson repeat that at various points in their public appearances, and you can also expect there to be regular media messages from a variety of people. But in particular, the four chief medical officers across the UK, and health Ministers, of course, will be leading on that extra effort. If coronavirus becomes a more significant concern, you can expect to hear from me not just in this place, but publicly as well. So the public messaging part I think would actually be quite difficult at this point in time—to have a separate public health campaign given the significant coverage that is taking place every day on an update on the condition. Thus far, I certainly think our broadcast media have been pretty responsible about their approach, and in promoting those essential and basic public health messages. Of course, the guidance for schools that we've issued, which, again, is available on the Welsh Government website, reiterates that advice as to what people should do, not necessarily opening or closing schools—the messaging again being to keep them open—but actually in good basic hygiene; we want schools to follow and reiterate with their own populations as well.

In terms of questions about businesses, there's absolutely no advice or suggestion that people should alter the way that they order goods within or outside the UK. That advice remains in place as it would have been before.

On 111, I'm happy to confirm that there is now an all-Wales coronavirus service through the free 111 number. That's a change that we've deliberately made to have a single source, a single number, so we're not trying to ask people to go to different places in different parts of the country.

There are already conversations taking place within the Government, and conversations are starting with employer organisations about either support that they might need, or indeed messages about how they're actually taking care of their own workforces as well. It's not just an issue for public services—there's a potentially more significant impact. One of the issues we discussed in our engagement across all four Governments are changes to the way that the statutory sick pay operates, because we don't want people to wait until the third day of being unwell before they then think they're going to take some time out of work. So, I think the UK Government are looking to act on that. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care gave an indication of that when he was answering questions in the House of Commons with the Labour spokesperson today.

On legislation, as I said in the statement, we are looking at the possibility of legislation. If we were to need to legislate, bearing in mind the advice we've had from the four chief medical officers and from SAGE—a group I'll return to shortly. SAGE is not a herb in this instance—it is the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies—and that's a key resource providing scientific advice to the four UK Governments. If we were to see the sort of peak in the virus that is possible, that could be starting from about May/June, when you might see a peak. If we were to need emergency powers, then we'd need to have them in place before then, which would realistically mean that we would need to have passed that legislation before Easter recess in Parliaments across the UK. That means that, from our point of view, if we were to have a single piece of UK-wide legislation, we would have needed to have considered a legislative consent motion before we go into recess itself. So, there isn't a significant period of time, but in the conversations that I've had, both with the health spokespeople from the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru, I've indicated that, as soon as we're in a position to be more definitive about that, I'll confirm that. I'll make sure technical briefings are available. I've already offered the Chair of the health committee an opportunity to have a briefing with the Chief Medical Officer for Wales—a broader update on the position. And if we get to the position where we think legislation is the right answer, and we have the shape of it, then I'll try to make sure that a technical briefing is available from the chief medical officer and officials about what that Bill will contain and the rationale behind it as well. But again, to reiterate my point that the very clear expectation is that devolved powers remain the responsibility of Ministers in the three national devolved Governments.

Now, in terms of how to exercise those powers, then we're very clear that we want to be led by the science and the advice we get from the chief medical officer is about which powers may need to be exercised. Ultimately, Ministers still have to decide. And equally, when those powers are no longer required as well. But if there were to be legislation, I'm sure that people in all of the Parliaments in the UK would want to understand when powers would start, but also when they would end. In the Civil Contingencies Bill, for example, the powers need to be reviewed and renewed every seven days. That may not be appropriate if we do face a pandemic that may last several months. But there is a point there, and I expect it will come up properly in scrutiny as well. And the point is well made.

In terms of looking after our staff, well we have protective equipment for staff who are undertaking testing and treatment, and we have the appropriate protective equipment available for staff to continue to do so. We are taking seriously staff well-being, but also if there were to be a significant challenge, then if there are significant numbers of people in the workplace who are absent from work because they're unwell, that would affect part of our health service workforce as well. So, we are thinking through potential scenarios where, if there is reduced workforce, not just about the potential opportunity to reintroduce those retired health and care professionals who are willing to return, and what that means for a regulatory point of view, in terms of adding numbers. Because money may not provide us with lots of extra members of staff—it's actually about the willingness of people with the ability to return and to have the appropriate regulatory clearance to do so.

On primary care, you've already heard the First Minister indicate that we're already actively considering the potential to reduce some of the reporting arrangements, and that should be familiar. I think it was two winters ago that I decided to do so during winter for primary care to ease pressure. That gave them more time, and we're also able to have regular and understandable means for which they would continue to be paid a predictable amount on doing so. 

In terms of your point about regular advice for people with chronic conditions who may need to attend, we're not at the point in time where those people need to behave differently, but we may get to the point where that is one of the things that we contemplate. Those people don't need to be concerned now, but should there be a more significant community transfer of coronavirus, we will need to consider and potentially to give further advice at that point in time. 

Officials in each portfolio are working across the Government. We stood up our own emergency arrangements. The Cabinet had a briefing from me—we've mentioned it before, but there was a specific briefing yesterday. The Cabinet will be meeting again later this week to consider this specifically, and we'll look at arrangements between Ministers to effectively stand up our own emergency arrangements. I think the initials are EWCC, but to put it in more understandable terms, our own COBRA Cymru arrangements are ready to stand up as well. 

I'd like to finish by thanking you both for your support and for your constructive approach in our previous conversations and here. There will be, of course, questions you will want to ask throughout the time, but I think it is important that we try to take an approach that is led by the evidence and stay as calm as we want the public to remain in the face of a novel threat to public health across the UK. 

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and may I also thank you for the statement and thank you for the briefing sessions that have been provided for us as opposition parties, both on Sunday and earlier today? I look forward to seeing that kind of dialogue continuing, because I do think that it's important that the public has confidence that the steps that the Government is taking are responsible steps to take, and how that's communicated to us and to the public more broadly is very important, of course. I could ask hundreds of questions. I won't do so. I know that we'll have plenty of opportunities to ask those questions. But, there are a few things that do strike me, and I will take this opportunity to ask questions on those.

First of all, a question that was asked earlier by Adam Price, and you've touched upon it again—namely, the information shared by Public Health Wales and how often that information is disseminated. Now, the First Minister suggested, at least, that data is shared on a daily basis. You have also suggested that information is shared at 3 p.m. every afternoon. According to my understanding, and according to Public Health Wales's website, although information is shared on a daily basis, the data on the number of tests carried out, be they positive or negative, aren't shared, but are shared only on a weekly basis. Perhaps you could confirm what the situation is and ask whether Public Health Wales will ensure that those data, as well as the daily narrative, are shared on a daily basis rather than on a weekly basis.

Now, in terms of 111, I'm also very pleased that that is now a number that can be reached wherever people are in Wales. Can you give us some idea of the additional resources that have been put in place in order to enable that to happen? As a slightly peripheral question, is this the start of the provision of 111 in all parts of Wales—something that I do hope would happen? On budget day, I would appreciate just a few broader comments on the additional resources that you have secured, or that you are seeking to secure, from the finance Minister in order to ensure that we are in the best possible position as a nation to respond to COVID-19.

May I also ask: there are initial plans being drawn up, as I understand it, to perhaps open the door to doctors who may have left the profession or who have retired to return, should there be pressures on the NHS workforce. So, what advice is available to those health workers who are already in this difficult situation in carrying out this additional work in supporting the public within the health service? So, what advice is available to them as to how they can register before the details are fully in place, so that we can strengthen the health workforce, should that be required?

Just a few points on an issue of principle. You quite rightly condemn the prejudice and the racist comments that have been made in relation to the spread of this particular virus. So, could I ask you to make a broader comment on the need to treat people who are in self-isolation with dignity and respect? Because it's very important that people should know what level of treatment they should expect from the state, from society, where they, of course, feel very vulnerable, having been placed in self-isolation.

It has become apparent too that Mako Vunipola is now not going to be available to play in the six nations match between Wales and England this weekend because he has self-isolated. First of all, what kind of discussions are taking place with organisations such as the Welsh Rugby Union, and football clubs and so on, around major events such as this that bring people together? But, more importantly, what does the fact that Mako Vunipola has placed himself in self-isolation, given that he isn't showing any symptoms of the virus, but has been in a situation where there may be a risk—I understand that he flew via Hong Kong—what does that tell us about the need for people to be aware of the possibility that they could have been infected and to take sensible precautions to safeguard themselves, and others around them, while balancing that, of course, with the need, as you say, for people not to be overly anxious in more general terms?

Finally, again with reference to comments made by Adam Price earlier today in terms of the responsibility on employers. I have raised this with you in the past, as a Government, asking you to give clear direction of your expectations of responsible employers here in Wales. Employment law is not devolved, but I do think that there is an expectation that could be put in place by the Welsh Government in terms of the conduct of employers. Irresponsible employers in workplaces where people are expected to turn up to work whatever the state of their health could be putting the health of others at risk. So, will you be making a statement, either now or over the next few days or weeks, on your expectations on the need for employers, like everyone else within society, to take those sensible steps that are required in order to ensure that public safety is secured? 

Yes, thank you for the questions. On the data that Public Health Wales provide, they provide a regular update on the situation in Wales, to see if there is any change in the guidance available, every day at 3 o'clock. Public Health England publish, on behalf of the UK, figures each day, including confirmed cases. In terms of the approach that I set out that we're going to take here in Wales, we need to think about whether it's proportionate and useful to provide data each day on the number of tests carried out. I think, actually, the challenge around confirming cases is entirely different to the number of tests being carried out. And some of that is still a moving feast. I do think the confirmed cases, and where they are—. And, for example, if there were to be a change in the way that we are providing treatment for people, if we reached a point in time where the current capacity that all four nations in the UK have agreed to concentrate around four places in England that are treating people with confirmed cases, if that was changed, we'd obviously need to provide that as well. But I'm not completely sure that providing daily information on the testing carried out is going to take us further forward in providing useful information to the public, as opposed to the outcomes of those tests. But that's a matter that I'm happy to consider, but the Public Health England site actually provides data for the whole of the UK about the number of confirmed cases, and that is updated on a daily basis.

In terms of resources, resource at this point is more about people than money. And it's how we're using the resource that we have available to us, both within the Government and within the NHS family and partner agencies. So, I don't have a specific financial ask to make of the finance Minister, who has helpfully returned at this point in time. That's partly because we can't definitively predict the impact across the whole range of activity within the Government, and indeed with partners. It may be the case that there is a significant financial impact; maybe that won't be the case. That's partly because we're not at this point in time able to predict with the necessary accuracy what that impact might be, and how money could help to do so. However, it is a matter that is part of our actual discussions at each of the COBRA calls, about whether or not there is a need for there to be a financial injection to make the additional measures that are necessary for public health to happen.

Now, the Chancellor has already briefed that he's asked his officials to look at the potential impact of coronavirus ahead of the UK budget on 11 March. I actually think we're going to need to see what may be necessary in terms of contingency, and to look not just, if you like, about a straight Barnett share for everything that may or may not happen, but actually to think about the actual impact of the condition. Because it may be that different parts of the UK see differential impact. Wales could be fortunate and escape relatively lightly compared to other parts of the UK, or we could have a differential impact, or the impact could be evenly spread across each of the four nations. And actually, my perspective is that I want to see resources go where the need requires those resources to go. And in directing need, again, that will be based on the advice of the science, but also of our chief medical officer, about where and how we make the biggest difference.

In terms of speeding up a return to practice for retired staff, that would require some change in UK legislation. That's a matter that's under active consideration, with a potential Bill. And of course we still have a four-nations perspective on most matters of registration. So, they're a UK—these are reserved powers, and they're things that we would actually support; that's why it's in the joint action plan that all four Governments have signed up to, as a matter to consider.

I completely agree with your point about dignity for people in self-isolation. There's a point about how the public generally behave if someone is self-isolating, and some points about prejudice and people's concern, but equally then about the remote contact that people can still have while people are in a period of self-isolation. For most of us, the idea of being at home for 14 days may initially sound rather attractive, but, actually, 14 days on your own, at home, not having normal access to things, I think it is quite difficult for people. And even when we had managed larger isolation for the first two flights back from China, for example, that's been difficult for people who have gone through that, and we do need to understand that.

In terms of the points about guidance for major events, we know that the six nations have taken this really seriously. Football authorities are already thinking ahead to the FIFA finals, and the potential impact to that, because, of course, it's taking place across a dozen cities within Europe. And if we're still in a containment phase, then actually that may affect the way that some of those events do or don't take place. We've already seen the decision taken about the Italy-Ireland game as well. So, there are conversations that can take place. We want to make sure that we don't up leading the conversations by making an announcement before a conversation has taken place with Wales's sporting bodies, or any other large event, about what the appropriate advice is, but again to do so on the basis of appropriate advice that is given. And I'd want to seek the direct advice of our own CMO about whether to ask people to not run events in those circumstances, and we may then end up considering whether there would need to be ministerial powers to do so. But that would be part of a conversation about the Bill, and, again, the requirements for any powers to be exercised, if they existed, would really have to be led by there being a genuine emergency situation within the country at large.

On travel advice, again, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website is a definitive source of guidance about travel. The Welsh Government has repeated that, and referred to it in our own guidance, which is publicly available. That's also repeated through the information that Public Health Wales provide, about the way that people behave in the here and now, but also in the future as well.

And on your point about employers—. There's a secondary point I want to make about lenders. But, on employers, again, as I say, we have raised points, both between officials, but also in ministerial conversations, about statutory sick pay, about wanting to see that paid from day one. Because that would mean that people who do need to follow advice to self-isolate aren't concerned about the potential challenge for them and their family if they don't do so—there's a financial penalty in doing so. But also, my Labour colleague Jonathan Ashworth asked Matt Hancock in the House of Commons earlier about the potential for legislation to consider those people who are not just part of the gig economy, but those people on zero hours, to try to make sure if there are measures that could be taken to make sure that they don't suffer a loss of income that could see them otherwise continue to go into work, as opposed to following the appropriate advice to self-isolate. 

The final point on it was not just about employers, and, if you like, the soft power the Government can have to have conversations with those employers' organisations, but it's a point about lenders as well, and, if we were to reach a point where coronavirus had a much wider impact on the way that people conduct public life—whether small, medium or large businesses—about not wanting to see lenders take precipitate action that could cause an otherwise decent business that should continue to potentially collapse through the potential issues that coronavirus may provide. Those are conversations that are taking place, both in terms of what each Government may do individually, but in particular the Chancellor's ability, at a UK level, to have some of those conversations about the way that lenders themselves behave.

So, you can see this isn't just a health issue: it really has a whole-Government, whole society potential impact, if we move to the stage where we do reach pandemic status. But, at this point in time today, people should go about their normal day-to-day business, their normal way of behaving, and, to repeat the advice that has gone on before, to 'catch it, kill it and bin it' and to take seriously the advice and guidance people are given by public health authorities. 

Could I welcome the statement today and the short written statement that preceded it, but also welcome the coronavirus action plan, signed up to by the UK administration, but also, of course, all the devolved administrations as well? And, in concert with the tone that is set here by the Minister today, which is measured but also very purposeful, I think what these documents show us is that we're not starting totally from scratch. There is a lot of experience and planning and expertise that has gone into emergency planning before and into preparations for viruses spreading as well. So, we don't start from scratch. 

But my questions are primarily to do with communication, Minister. You've touched on them a bit, so I'll try not to rehearse ground that's gone on already. First of all, I think the biggest message we can take from here today, in terms of the public health message, is to stress the importance of the 111 service and the need for people to use that.

But, in respect of the portal information, the online information, which not everybody will be as familiar as we are with using it, he has referred to the Public Health Wales site, which I've looked at. It's very good; it's fairly easy to use; it does link to others. There's also the Welsh Government, there's also, for travellers, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office site as well. Could he just undertake to make sure that there is a degree of linkage between these different websites, so that people, who are either concerned about themselves or about their family or about business colleagues can easily actually track to the right source of information, up-to-date information as well? It's great to hear that the Public Health Wales site will be updated every day at 3 o'clock. But each one of these sites needs to link very easily for people who aren't as familiar with searching through the internet as well. 

Secondly, in terms of communication, could I ask what engagement is being done, not only by Welsh Government, but also by the network of businesses that we engage with, in terms of big and small businesses? He's mentioned the fact that if this does actually progress, and I notice in the document it refers to some of the assessment that's been done on a realistic worst case scenario, but if this does progress then there will be some larger businesses, who indeed have very well developed business continuity plans, but some of the smaller businesses, some of the supply chain businesses, the same businesses that actually keep our supermarket shelves stocked and our larders stocked and keep the freight running up and down the roads—. What communication is there in place to make sure that they are aware of what they need to do as well, and how they keep in business, both from a cash flow perspective and a supply chain perspective, but also in terms of information that they share with their employees and workforce? 

And that's my final point on communications. What engagement are we doing across Government and using the networks that we have well established with front-line workers in, for example, health and social care, in emergency services, in local government, but also other essential workers who keep the country going? What engagement are we doing with the unions as well, directly, so that they have clear messages that they can convey to their members as well? So, that everything will be done, not only in terms of informing them up to date with information, but also to ensure them that they and their families are also protected as well. And my final point on communication, then, Minister, would be this: all of us as Members of this Senedd have a fair degree of reach ourselves in terms of what we can communicate, and I would say—don't underestimate that. If the information can be packaged well, then we also can help in a timely manner by signposting people to the right places, whether they are business or workforce, or whether they are people concerned about their own health and the health of their families. We can play a role as well on our social media presence and our websites in making good signposting for them as well.

I thank the Member for those questions. I'll just start with a point about business. So, this is about some of the soft powers that, as I said, Government has, and we're already looking to reach out, as I talk to different organisations about that. But there is, you're right, sometimes a difference between some businesses, and in particular larger—it's not just larger—businesses, which may be more able to cope with different absence or indeed may have the potential for remote working; other businesses, people have to be present to undertake work. And there's something there about business support advice, but, equally, when the Government is directly supporting business, about the way in which we behave, and not just looking to private-sector lenders to try to have a conversation about their own behaviour, and dealing with businesses who may be affected if the coronavirus becomes a more significant challenge for us.

The 111 service is deliberately there to provide a consistent point of contact for people. It's easy to remember and to repeat. But to go back to your final point—the way that individual Members can be part of this too, and repeating and referring to trusted sources of information, advice and guidance, and I'd certainly ask Members to do so, to do that in repeating trusted sources of information and to be really careful that we don't get drawn into promoting some of the more conspiratorial elements of commentary that always, sadly, exist in different parts of public life and on social media. There's a real responsibility on all of us to be responsible moving forward.

In terms of the engagement with other organisations, and the resilience fora—as I say, I'm running through an exercise already and I'll be happy to provide more information over the weeks about the nature of that preparedness for where we are. But our arrangements have already been tested in the last few weeks and so relationships are good and constructive here in Wales.

On your broader point about engagement with a range of different people, I'm happy to say I spoke to Councillor Huw David—not just the leader of Bridgend, but the social care and health spokesperson for the WLGA—yesterday. I've spoken to the two main opposition parties' health spokespeople to make sure that there's information passed between the Government and then across the Chamber here as well. We're seeing cabinet members across social care within the next few days. I'm meeting members of royal colleges across Wales tomorrow. I'm also seeing the trade union side and employers within the health service this week as well when I'm in north Wales. And I'm also taking up the opportunity to meet medical directors from every NHS organisation here in Wales within this week, and I'm meeting them together with the chief medical officer. So, we are making sure not just that remote guidance is provided, but that actually there is a direct face-to-face conversation with a range of those people who will be influential in actually not just dealing with opinion, but also helping us to prepare for what may be required in the weeks and months ahead.

Finally, Caroline Jones.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you for your statement, Minister, as well as your earlier written statement on the joint action plan. I'd like to commend the work being undertaken by you, your officials, Public Health Wales, and our amazing NHS staff in preparing for the COVID-19 outbreak. I also welcome the fact that the 111 service is now available in all parts of Wales. And regarding this service and the possible escalation of the use due to the virus, what extra additional resources have you been able to consider putting into this service?

As you rightly point out, this is a totally new disease. We are unsure of the particular vectors of this infection. Our current understanding is largely based upon what we know about similar coronaviruses. What can you tell me, please—with the hard-to-reach communities, what additional thought has been put into these harder-to-reach communities, so that they are aware of the coronavirus and the symptoms?

Infection rates have increased across the globe and our efforts are quite rightly focused upon containing the spread of this disease. It is right that we make preparations for a widespread outbreak. We can see from northern Italy how quickly this particular coronavirus spreads. However, at this stage one of the biggest threats comes from widespread panic and the spread of misinformation. It is in our power to limit the spread of this disease if we all take simple precautions. As with all respiratory infections, we can take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Every single one of us in this Chamber needs to reinforce the 'catch it, bin it, kill it' message and practice regular effective hand hygiene.

Minister, as I said, I fully endorse the approach taken by the Welsh Government, and therefore have just a few questions left. There have been reports of shortages of personal protective equipment in general practice. So, Minister, can you ensure that there is sufficient PPE available to primary care providers in all of Wales? I realise that this is a global public health emergency, and this will bring procurement challenges. However, will you do all that you can, together with colleagues across the UK, and work with the UK Government to ensure our health services are not affected by increased cost and availability of supplies and equipment?

Finally, Minister, an unfortunate impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been the increase in numbers of people seeking to profit from the misery of others, and there are reports of unscrupulous businesses massively inflating prices of basic hygiene materials. One advert for a 600 ml bottle of alcohol hand wash was listed at £37, five or six times higher than the usual price. Sadly, this is not unique. So, Minister, will you work with local authorities and UK Ministers to do what you can to stamp out this practice? 

Thank you once again for your regular updates and I hope that by all of us playing our part, we can avoid the worst ravages of COVID-19. 

Thank you for the comments and questions. I want to perhaps start with your final point and the point you made earlier about the way we can choose to behave. There are, unfortunately, always some people who are prepared to try to capitalise and to make financial gain from a problem position. We see it in a wide range of areas and, sadly, I expect there will be people who try to do that over this position. Most people, though, are driven by a rather more altruistic response and one that reaches out and shows that people care for their neighbours, and people they don't know as well. And there's that point again about panic and not panicking, and not spreading misinformation about what the actual position is. 

So, if people are approached for advice or guidance and it comes with a large price tag, but help is offered, they should think again. If it's the case that it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is, and if people are asking for significant sums of money for what you think should be available from the national health service, then, again, take a step back, and go back to the point about taking our cues from a trusted source of information and guidance. Public Health Wales's chief medical officer and the Welsh Government are providing regular updates and information for people to follow. And I hope that Members do use their own social media channels to promote that.

The 111 service has now been resourced to provide an all-Wales reach to cover coronavirus. If there is a need to consider further financial resources that go beyond the health department's ability to do so, then we will, of course, have that discussion across the Government. It is also, of course, possible that other departments may have a call on resources, not just the health department. That depends on the need and the appropriate action the Government may need to take at a future point.

In terms of awareness, I think it's hard to envisage the number of people who would not be aware that coronavirus is a current issue facing the UK and the wider world. I think there's little the Government can do beyond what is already being done to promote a public awareness message around the position that we're in. Today's launch of the joint action plan is in itself an unprecedented event, certainly in my time in political activity, and we'll be looking to make sure that those messages in that plan, not just about the future but about today, are consistently and persistently reinforced, including, of course, the 'catch it, bin it, kill it' message, especially about washing your hands effectively. 

On protective equipment in primary care or, indeed, in secondary care, we've done everything I think that is reasonable, not to just to have that equipment available, but then to provide it where it's necessary. So, it isn't just a case of stockpiling equipment; that's not necessary at this point in time. People, including most health service workers, need to go about their business in the way they normally would do.

Then, finally, to reiterate this point that it's not just about this Chamber, but across the four Governments of the United Kingdom—I've made this point before. It should give people some comfort that four different Governments with four different political priorities on a range of things, with four different health Ministers and four different parties, are still coming together to work on a joint UK basis, and to do so on the basis of the best available advice to all of us, and, of course—[Inaudible.]—the advice and guidance we're given by the four chief medical officers to keep the public as safe as possible.

Thank you. Russell George, you want to ask a question.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, you mentioned in your statement that potential enhanced monitoring at Cardiff Airport could come into force at short notice. So, I appreciate that it's not happening at the moment, but what would be the triggers for that?

And if I'm allowed, Deputy Presiding Officer, I'll ask one more quick question—thank you. There is a concern about the supply chain. Questions have been raised about business support, but in terms of—. One business contacted me in terms of the supply chain being affected from, particularly, areas of the world such as China, where factories are closed for a limited period of time, and that's now affecting the supply chain, even though those factories may now be back open again. And perhaps a more pressing concern is the supply chains for medical supplies, perhaps not connected with coronavirus itself, but medical supplies to the NHS as a result of delays to goods arriving in this country. Is that a concern also that you have, and is that being addressed as well within the NHS?

Well, on the final point about the impact of activity in China and its place not just within the Chinese economy, but the global economic impact—it's a matter that Ministers are concerned about across the UK. It's been a part of the conversation in COBRA meetings. The challenge is what is our ability to step in and do something in the alternative. This Government may have some levers available to it, but I don't want to pretend that we're going to be able to somehow mitigate completely the potential impacts across China—of course, some of which we'll only see in future months and years—whether that's about the ability to source alternative sources for goods or services, not just within the health services, but more widely. So, that's where we'll need to see what happens as it happens, as well as try to forecast where we may be able to help businesses, if that is possible. Some of this is about those people running and managing those businesses and their ability to source some of their own goods. It's often the case that they're better placed to do so than a Minister in the Government. 

In terms of Cardiff Airport and the need to step up arrangements—well, that would depend on the advice we're given about whether it's an effective thing to do, about whether it's an effective strategy in containing coronavirus and its spread, or indeed in delaying it. We may reach a point, though, when no restrictions on travel would prove to be effective. It would have to be led by the science, and that's why the SAGE group of scientific advisers are really important, their modelling about some of the challenge about transmission of coronavirus, and, indeed, the advice that we're receiving from the four chief medical officers. So, if we need to do that, we'd be clear about the basis on which we'd have additional arrangements in place at Cardiff Airport and the expected impacts of that. I think it's important we remain as transparent as possible in any action we do choose to take and have a proper footing for doing so as Ministers.

Thank you, Minister.