4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Coronavirus (COVID-2019) update

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:52 pm on 3 March 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 3:52, 3 March 2020

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.