COVID-19 Cases in Caerphilly

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:27 pm on 15 December 2020.

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Photo of Hefin David Hefin David Labour 2:27, 15 December 2020

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board put out an unprecedented call to citizens of Caerphilly and beyond in their area to not attend health services where they don't need to, and to recognise that they need to make the right choices. And I have to say to the people of Caerphilly who have been in touch with me, on the whole—almost the entire number of people who have been in touch with me via my Facebook page, Facebook live sessions—have been supportive and have recognised what they need to do. However, and I'm almost reluctant to do this, there have been a small number of people who have said some extraordinary things. I'll give you an example: one person said to me last week, 'This is no different, this winter, to any other.' Someone else said: 'Most of those dying from COVID are elderly or vulnerable, and would probably have died of cold, flu or pneumonia instead.' These are some of the statements that were made last week by a very small minority of people, but, nonetheless, those people have a huge impact. Will the First Minister explain, again, how this is an unprecedented crisis, how it's having a huge effect on our NHS, and that the rules that are in place are the very maximum people should do, and should not be an invitation to do anything further? We need to take this seriously.