COVID-19 in Hospitals

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:25 pm on 3 November 2020.

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Photo of Leanne Wood Leanne Wood Plaid Cymru 2:25, 3 November 2020

People in England who are clinically vulnerable and can't work from home have been given new shielding advice, and the over-60s have been advised to minimise contact with others. In Wales the advice to the clinically vulnerable group, including the over-60s, is to continue to work if you can't work from home. Your advice says your employer should be able to explain to you the measures that they've put in place to keep you safe at work. Now, I'm sure you can imagine that this isn't cutting it with all of those who face an impossible choice. As one Rhondda constituent put it, it's either shield and have no support financially, or work and face long-term complications with our health or even death. The mental health pressures that go with this kind of choice cannot be overstated. The clinically vulnerable need more protection at work and this is especially the case if people work in high-risk settings like hospitals, schools, prisons and other closed settings. Now, I understand that the details of future regulations are still being worked on, but will you give us a commitment today that you'll undertake to give this protection to people who are in work and clinically very vulnerable?