3. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Coronavirus (COVID-19) update

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:56 pm on 17 March 2020.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 4:56, 17 March 2020

First Minister, I heard your answer to previous questions on testing, but I would like, if it's possible, to press you a little further on this. Many members of the public are very confused when they see yourself giving one proposition and then the World Health Organization providing a very different analysis. I've seen this afternoon that, across the border in England, a record 7,000 tests were carried out in the last 24 hours. We therefore have a very different regime emerging between not simply the Government here and other Governments in the United Kingdom, but a different regime here to what is being recommended by the World Health Organization.

So, it would be useful, I think, for us to understand why that is. Why do we have advice that is at variance with that which we assume is being received by Scottish and English Ministers? Are we speaking to the World Health Organization to understand why they're providing that advice to Governments across the whole world that are dealing with this? And can we ensure that we here have the very best advice available to us that is tested then against advice that is being provided to other Ministers in other Governments, not simply here in the United Kingdom, but right across Europe and the rest of the world? 

I think there are many of us who are somewhat bewildered why we don't seem to be putting a greater emphasis on testing, and then to ensure that, where testing does take place, if we are looking at key front-line personnel, that social services and carers are actually included as well.