An independent and rapid review of the operational experience of care homes between July and September 2020, commissioned by the Welsh Government, will be published. The report highlights best practices and considerations for health and social partners when planning for winter. Welsh Government also releases update on status of care home action plan The Minister for Health reports on announcements from the Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization (JCVI). The JCVI recommended that a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine be offered to youth aged 16 to 17 who are not in a “risk group.” In addition, a booster dose should be offered to individuals 40 to 49 years of age who are 6 months of age or older after their second dose. The Welsh Government has updated its frequently asked questions about the firewall to clarify the rules for purchasing essential and non-essential items during this period. A list of items that supermarkets and other food and beverage retailers are allowed to sell will be published. The Minister of Health publishes an updated COVID-19 vaccination strategy and confirms that a booster vaccination will be offered to the majority of eligible individuals by December 31, 2021. The strategy also confirms that by November 1, 2021, offers will be made for one dose for all youth aged 12 to 15 and one booster dose for nursing home residents and health and care staff. A digital booking system is being developed that allows people to book appointments online. Further changes will be made to the list of countries and territories exempt from quarantine rules. From this date, people coming to Wales from the Czech Republic, Jamaica and Switzerland will have to self-isolate for 14 days upon return.
Passengers returning from Cuba and Singapore no longer need to do so. The Minister of Health confirms that she has accepted the Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization (JCVI) Council`s update that COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to all children aged 5 to 11 years. The Minister said: “I would like to encourage all families with children aged five to 11 who do not belong to a clinical risk group to visit the Public Health Wales website for information on vaccinations and start a conversation about whether they would like to accept this offer.” In the recent review of coronavirus restrictions, the First Minister confirms that there will be no significant changes to the rules in Wales. He urges people to continue to take precautions to protect themselves and others, pointing to the rise in coronavirus cases in Wales. The Chief Medical Officer of Health`s advice on this latest review of restrictions can be found here. The Regulation will be reviewed on 16 September 2021. The First Minister of Wales announces a 17-day closure from Friday 23 October at 6pm to Monday 9 November 2020. People must stay at home, except for very limited purposes, and are not allowed to visit or meet people with whom they do not live. Some shops and venues, including bars, restaurants and most shops, will be closed. Primary schools and day-care centres remain open; High schools are only open to Grade 7 and 8 children and offer online learning for the other years of the week after halftime. Universities remain open and continue to offer a mix of face-to-face and online learning. After the end of the round, the Welsh Government says a new set of national rules will be introduced.
Since December 20, the rules have been changed, meaning it`s now the law to work from home if you can. The Welsh government is publishing a review of its coronavirus testing regime. The report describes a number of supply chain delays and issues and confirms that “we will not reach 5,000 tests by week 3”. It includes a commitment to provide weekly updates outlining planned and actual increases in testing capacity. For now, the current rules apply. This means that it is up to individual providers to determine who is allowed to visit when. Revised guidelines for NHS Wales hospital visits during the coronavirus outbreak will be released. The guidelines establish the `basis` for visits to Wales during the pandemic, but allow some flexibility for health authorities, foundations and hospices. Visits to maternity wards will now be based on a risk assessment approach by health authorities, and the updated guidelines also recognise that some people may need specific additional support, such as a caregiver or interpreter. Wales` chief medical officer said that despite rising coronavirus cases and easing restrictions in Wales, clinically extremely vulnerable people are not advised to protect themselves at this time. “The advice for clinically extremely vulnerable individuals to follow protective measures was issued on 1.
It was suspended in April 2021 and since then people on the protective patient list have been advised to follow the same rules as other citizens of Wales, but to take special precautions to minimise their risk of exposure. There will be a few exceptions where patients have been specifically advised by their own doctor to protect themselves. This is advice they probably should have followed regardless of the pandemic, they should continue to follow this personal advice when their doctor asks them to do so. A copy of the letter sent to those on the shielding patient list can be found here. Coronavirus rules in the UK restrict travel abroad. In addition, a number of countries, including France, have announced that they are restricting travel from the UK in response to concerns about the spread of a new strain of the virus. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will advise you on travel restrictions and entry requirements for different countries. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has updated the advice that if a member of a household has a new continuous cough or high temperature, the entire household should self-isolate for 14 days.
The Prime Minister also said that all unnecessary contact and unnecessary travel should stop and people should start working from home whenever possible. This social distancing is especially important for people over 70, pregnant women and those with health problems, he added, “it will be necessary to go further and ensure that those with the most serious health problems are largely protected from social contact for about 12 weeks.” The British government said it would “no longer support mass gatherings with rescue workers.” The legal requirement to present a COVID passport to enter certain venues and events in Wales has now been lifted. “The COVID International Passport will continue to be an integral part of arrangements for safer international travel. Travelers should check the entry requirements of the respective countries, including the different requirements for children. In response to the rise in coronavirus cases in Wales, a tightening of the rules for social gatherings in Wales as well as mandatory face coverings is announced. From 14 September 2020, a maximum of six people can gather indoors at the same time (children under 11 years old not included). You must belong to the same exclusive household group or bubble. The rule of six does not apply to outdoor meetings in Wales. Social gatherings of more than six people are also banned in England from this date (indoors or outdoors). In Scotland, a maximum of six people from two households can gather indoors or outdoors. Also from 14 September, all Welsh residents over the age of 11 (except those exempt) will be required to wear a face covering in indoor public spaces such as shops.
This does not currently apply to pubs and restaurants. The Welsh Government is releasing an update to its coronavirus control plan: alert levels in Wales, which was published in December 2020. The update – Coronavirus Control Plan: Wales Alert Levels (of lockdown) – sets out the Welsh Government`s current understanding of the impact of the new variants, the systems in place to respond to current challenges and its approach to overcoming lockdown. The Welsh Government is releasing an update to its coronavirus control plan, which takes into account the vaccination programme and the “Kent variant of the virus”.