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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:47 pm on 29 April 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 3:47, 29 April 2020

I thank the Member for the question. This is an important and positive development in our growing evidence and research base about what we're able to do. The test that the University of South Wales have been involved in developing provides a rapid test result, and so we're looking to roll that out. It could be very helpful in both point-of-care testing but also home testing as well, and I'm happy to confirm that we have approved funding from our COVID-19 support mechanisms to allow that to carry on and carry forward to the next stage. And I'll continue to take an interest in the results of that. We're also doing some work with a business to progress the technology around this as well.

So, those offers, I understand, have gone out and they'll be aware that that support is being provided, and the funding support should lead us to a position where we understand if this is a technology to pursue and then to roll that out to provide the sort of rapid testing that will really change our ability to implement a different sort of testing regime and provide people with some real certainty in either their work places or, indeed, their homes.