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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:52 pm on 11 January 2022.

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Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 4:52, 11 January 2022

Thank you very much, Gareth. Obviously, we are really keen to make sure that we protect the most vulnerable, but we need to make sure also that they have the opportunity, for example, to meet their loved ones. We're trying to get the balance right between protecting them and, for example, allowing visitors into care homes. It is a really difficult balance, because I'm sure, Gareth, you'd be one of the first to complain if we saw omicron being introduced into care homes as well as a result of visitors. So, we have got to get that balance right, and it is difficult to get that right. But, we've got to remember that these care homes actually exist in our communities and our communities, at the moment, are trying to deal with a very high rate of COVID.

Certainly when it comes to vaccination figures, 90 per cent of care home residents, I'm pleased to say, have received their booster. That's a very significant protection measure for them. When it comes to the staff, I think one of the things you need to consider and to remember is that, if you've had COVID, you are not allowed to have the vaccination for 28 days. So, there may be a period where people will not be able to get the boosters. We'll just make sure that we follow those up constantly. We're very, very keen, obviously, to make sure that those care home staff, as many as possible, are supported. And certainly healthcare staff, 92 per cent of them, generally, have had a second dose. So, we're up at pretty high levels of protection. We've also got to remember that, when it comes to care home staff, there is a more transient group of people who work in those settings. There will be some people coming in and leaving, and so we've just got to bear that in mind, that it may mean that that's slightly different from the levels that you may see in other sectors. 

When it comes to PPE, you'll be aware that we have literally given millions upon millions of pieces of PPE to care homes. We've helped them with that protection all the way through this pandemic. And, again, if the evidence suggests that we should be using more protective measures, like the FFP3 masks that you were suggesting, then obviously we'll consider that. But, at the moment, we are not being advised to do that.