4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on COVID-19

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:43 pm on 23 November 2021.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 3:43, 23 November 2021

I thank you for your statement, Minister. I speak to an awful lot of people and get an awful lot of e-mails, like everybody else here, and it is the case that people do support those restrictions that we currently have and those ones that we are operating. And I've also had messages where people now feel able to go out and enjoy their lives a little bit more because of those COVID passes, where they were extremely nervous to do so before. But on the other hand, of course, I do understand that people don't support them; that they want all restrictions to come to an end. However, the figures tell us the reality of the spread of this infection and this virus, and we only have to look around in Europe to see exactly what is happening.

So, in terms of asking you a question, you do hint—and you've done it again today—that it may be possible that we have to expand the COVID passes into other areas where they are currently not used. When would you make that decision? What would be the trigger point at which you'd have to decide?