3. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on Coronavirus

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:17 pm on 8 June 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 3:17, 8 June 2021

(Translated)

Thank you very much. You are right to say that one dose appears to be less effective than two doses in terms of protecting us from the delta variant. We are very aware, therefore, particularly in some areas where the variant is coming to the fore, that we need to accelerate the process. I spoke to the chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr a few hours ago just to ask, in that area, whether it would be possible to do that. Of course, we are coming to the end of the point now where we have offered the first dose regardless. There is an expectation for the first dose to have been offered to everyone in the north by the end of this week, and then, of course, it will be possible for us to focus on that second dose. It also depends,  of course, on the supply that we receive from England. We have said clearly now that we hope to vaccinate everyone over 18 with both doses by the end of September. So, there is a new target that we have put in place, and I'm very hopeful that we'll will be able to meet that target.

In terms of asking people not to move around, I was very pleased to see that the United Kingdom Government had asked those people, in those areas where the delta variant was more prominent—that they had asked them not to travel. We had been calling on the Prime Minister to do that. And we've also asked people, if they do come into Wales, to take a test before they travel. So, we have already made that statement. Now, how do we demonstrate that? It's quite a job to ask people to police that before they come, but we have asked people to do that, so that we can safeguard people, particularly in those areas where there is a great deal of tourism.