We have agreed that the best option now is to strengthen some of the current measures we already have in place. These include vaccination, and specifically a speed-up of the roll-out of booster vaccinations, and vaccines for those between 12 and 15 years of age. We have already offered boosters to all eligible care homes residents and staff. As always, I want to thank everyone involved in our incredible vaccination programme for all the work that they've done. Vaccination and boosters continue to be our best defence against the virus. Without this programme, the public health situation would be significantly worse. Vaccines have weakened the link between infection and serious illness and continue to do so.

We know that part of the rise in numbers is being driven by high infections in young people. This week we are publishing a toolkit to support headteachers in dealing with the high number of cases in their schools and to quickly introduce additional protections. We are also increasing our efforts to encourage staff and secondary school students to take up the opportunity of a twice weekly lateral flow test. Regular testing, together with the protective measures, will help keep coronavirus out of our schools.

In my last update, I explained the reasoning behind the introduction of a COVID pass. Having been in place for three weeks, we will now seek to extend its use to theatres, cinemas and concert halls. These are settings where large numbers of people gather indoors for long periods, often without face coverings.

Finally, we are reintroducing the requirement for people to self-isolate if someone in their household has symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status. This is because infections between close contacts have also been partly responsible for the large rise in cases. Household contacts will now need to self-isolate until they receive a negative PCR test. This system is in place in Scotland, where the case rates peaked in September and are now much lower than in Wales.

Llywydd, we all want to keep Wales safe and open, but if the public health situation continues to deteriorate, at the next review we will be considering raising the alert level and reintroducing restrictions. The next three weeks are therefore critical. I call on everyone to please follow the measures in place, as well as remembering those basic principles which can protect you and others—hand washing, social distancing, wearing face coverings and following the testing regime. Most importantly, and I can’t stress this enough, please get your vaccination and booster when you are called for it. It saves lives. This is a fast-moving public health situation, and, in the same way as it deteriorated quickly, we can also turn this around and improve our situation here in Wales. Everyone is working hard to protect themselves and their loved ones. Let’s continue to do this together. Thank you.