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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:33 pm on 22 April 2020.

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Photo of Leanne Wood Leanne Wood Plaid Cymru 3:33, 22 April 2020

It's an inexcusable failure, Minister, that you've not carried out the 5,000 tests a day in Wales that you promised. The World Health Organization advises that the countries that are best coping with this pandemic are mass testing, they're tracing and quarantining. There must be, at the very least, weekly testing for all key workers, whether they work in the public or the private sector, and until we have that, we can't relax the lockdown. I'd ask if you would accept that point. You've said you're working towards mass testing, but you didn't say in response to questions from my colleague Rhun ap Iorwerth whether you accept that point—that, unless we have mass testing in place, we cannot relax the restrictions.

I've had concerning reports from care homes as well, where PPE is in supply, but the manager has locked it down because it's being rationed. The policy is for it to be used when residents or others are showing symptoms, but we all know that, by the time symptoms are showing, the virus may well have already been transmitted. So, will you urgently issue guidance to enhance the protective measures that care homes and other closed settings should follow? I know PPE is a precious resource, but it's not acceptable to expect these low-waged workers and those that they look after to be put at risk in the way that they are under the current policy, in my view.