Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Members will be aware that I announced our intention to develop a winter protection plan for Wales over the summer. I'm pleased to confirm we have now published that plan, following our work with stakeholders. The events from the last week have reinforced why this is needed. Despite all of the good progress made over the summer, the position remains precarious. The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and as we have been reminded again, the virus can spread quickly with significant local outbreaks.

We all know that winter is always a challenging time of year for our health and social service staff. Let me be clear: the challenges this winter will be truly extraordinary. In addition to the normal winter pressures, we will need to respond to the unfinished COVID pandemic. The resurgence of the virus in recent weeks will not be the end of our challenges. The next days and weeks will determine whether we need to introduce even more significant measures to control the virus. So, we must be prepared for the worst. The winter protection plan is intended to bring together the main health and social care contributions that protect the public, help support delivery and engagement with our key partners and stakeholders, and we will work together to keep Wales safe.

We have heard from community health councils about the things that will matter most to individuals and communities. Engagement with professional groups and partners across health and social care has been helpful to ensure that the context for the winter protection plan is clear. Our NHS and care expectations will be more specifically set out in the NHS operational framework for quarters 3 and 4, which will be issued next week. The winter protection plan will be supported by the £800 million NHS stabilisation package that we recently announced, together with the additional funding being provided to local authorities and the care sector.

The plan highlights a number of now familiar areas, but ones that are crucial to controlling the virus, keeping communities safe and well and to reduce demand on our NHS and care services. For example, a key element of the local prevention and response plans is the test, trace and protect service. This provides a key defence against widespread transmission that relies heavily on public co-operation, honesty and compliance with that advice. The plan identifies the need for the public to support an expanded and comprehensive flu vaccination campaign this autumn. This should help to reduce the seasonal demands that flu places on our NHS. There is no easy way to tackle COVID-19, it requires everyone to play their part in supporting this national effort.

Scientific evidence informs our decisions and will continue to do so. I recognise it has been very difficult and challenging for us as individuals and communities. Working together as a nation has made a huge difference, with people and organisations across Wales playing their part in helping to limit the impact of the virus. The reduction over the summer made some people relax and become complacent about the continuing threat. There has also been a minority of people that have deliberately not followed the rules and may have thought that COVID-19 had gone away. It has not and cases are rising.

Despite the huge efforts of the majority of people, some areas are experiencing much higher numbers of cases that are likely to result in vulnerable people being admitted to hospital in the coming weeks. So, let me be absolutely clear: if we are to avoid further local or national lockdowns, our behaviour must change and change quickly. We are in a similar position now to early February this year—a matter of weeks ahead of the national lockdown choice made in March by each UK nation.

We have seen significant rises in cases in the Caerphilly borough area, Merthyr Tydfil, the Rhondda and in Newport. Members will know that local actions have had to be taken and are under constant review. Limiting people's movements and placing restrictions on daily life is never something the Welsh Government has taken lightly. However, we will make those difficult decisions to help to save lives and reduce the risks to our most vulnerable people.

The significance of the rise in cases in the last week means we have a very narrow window of opportunity in which to act and avoid more radical intervention. None of us want to see more restrictions, but I cannot stress enough that if we do not start to see a reduction in cases, and that can only come through changes in our behaviour, then lives will be lost. I do not want to see a national lockdown, but if the choice is that or more harm, including deaths, then we will do what is necessary to keep Wales safe.

Health and social care staff, together with other key workers and colleagues in the third sector, work tirelessly to provide services and care for us and our loved ones. We in turn must all do our bit to fight the virus and help keep Wales safe, whether that is adhering to the rules, maintaining social distancing or practising good hand hygiene. We will continue to live with the virus in many aspects of our daily lives for some time to come. We must remain vigilant for ourselves, our families and communities.

The winter protection plan is not a panacea, and it will take time for us all to recover from this pandemic. However, the plan demonstrates our continued commitment to the people of Wales throughout this exceptional public health emergency. We all have our part to play to do the right thing. We can all make choices to help keep Wales safe.