Llywydd, we've also asked people across the wider population to reduce social contact. That includes working from home if you can and not going by choice into crowded areas such as pubs or restaurants. All people aged 70 and over, people under 70 with underlying health conditions and pregnant women should now actively practice social distancing measures. That's because these groups are identified as having a higher risk of becoming seriously unwell and therefore needing to limit their social interaction to reduce the risk of transmission. For those under 70 with underlying health conditions, the starting point is that, if your health condition entitles you to a free NHS flu jab, then you are covered by that advice. In the next week, the NHS will directly contact a range of vulnerable people with specific advice about risks to them. That is likely to involve even more significant measures for those whose immune systems are most significantly compromised. 

The position adopted in the other parts of the United Kingdom in relation to large gatherings is now to be followed across the whole of the United Kingdom. Our emergency services will not staff or plan for large public events. They, too, like the rest of the NHS family, will focus their time on dealing with the response to coronavirus as it further develops.

Llywydd, as Members know from earlier this afternoon, there have been questions about our current approach to testing. At this point in the progress of the disease, our focus has shifted away from community testing, because that is the best advice we have. Testing will now focus on people who are admitted to hospital, in line with national guidance and based on symptoms and severity. There is strong evidence from around the world that they can and will recover. This is about ensuring that our testing capacity is focused where there is greatest need. In addition to those in hospital, testing will now be made available to people working in key NHS clinical roles to ensure that they are not taken out of the workplace longer than is necessary. The number of these roles covered will extend as our testing capacity develops. Public Health Wales will continue its surveillance work to understand the overall picture in Wales. 

Llywydd, on Friday of last week, our colleague, Vaughan Gething announced far-reaching temporary measures to release NHS capacity to deal with the outbreak. Health and social service providers will suspend non-urgent out-patient appointments and surgical admissions and the monitoring and regulatory regime will be relaxed across the health and care system.

We know that the outbreak will significantly increase the demands made on hospitals, care homes and primary care practitioners, and in particular, on the staff in these organisations. The changes announced last Friday will allow our health and social care system to keep people out of hospital who do not need to be there, and it is even more important than ever before that people who do have the highest need for hospital care can be treated without delay. Friday's decisions will allow health boards and others to make the best use of capacity in priority areas, to redeploy and retrain staff for different roles to respond to the impact of coronavirus and to maintain services for other essential treatments, such as cancer services.

Today, the health Minister has approved the next set of national actions to support health and social care preparedness. These include: guidance provided on the testing of symptomatic healthcare workers in isolation; further urgency in the rolling out of video consultations in primary care; announcing forthcoming guidance on the delivery of dental services to avoid preventable exposure to patients and staff; and further work rapidly to increase critical care beds, staffing and equipment.

Llywydd, right across the Welsh Government, ministerial colleagues continue to work closely with public services across Wales to ensure that they are prepared. Last week, meetings took place with local authority leaders and they have continued into this week. Our local authorities will have all the help and support that we can provide in keeping vital public services running. They too have a hugely important leadership role and that is especially so in the way that they will work with third sector partners to co-ordinate support for the large number of people who will now be self-isolating.

This is a dynamic and rapidly evolving situation, and the Welsh Government will continue to take further measures as necessary and as the evidence dictates. The health Minister intends to publish information on which decisions have been made—the evidence—ahead of the health committee on 18 March, and I know that he still hopes to be able to answer Members' questions alongside the chief medical officer in front of that committee.

In the meantime, we need to go on reminding ourselves and all our fellow citizens of those simple measures that we can all take and that, collectively, will make a difference; those simple steps to help manage and limit the impact of the virus. Maintaining regular hand-washing and self-isolation where necessary will make a real and positive difference, as will helping family, friends and neighbours when they have to self-isolate.

Llywydd, we are asking people to make extraordinary choices to match the extraordinary times we face. We ask people to do this, to help their friends and families; we ask people to do this to help friends and families that they may never otherwise meet. The health Minister, I and ministerial colleagues will, of course, Llywydd, continue to keep Members and the people of Wales fully and regularly informed, as the progress of the disease continues.