Health Minister uses daily briefing to address common questions over pandemic strategy

Wales’ health minister today moved to address a range of common questions surrounding the Welsh Government pandemic response.

At today’s Welsh Government briefing Health Minister Vaughan Gething gave more detail to common questions on the decision to impose local lockdown restrictions across parts of north and south Wales and why such action is necessary at this time.

He also challenged those who suggest that coronavirus is not serious and that the threat has been “blown out of proportion”.

Mr Gething said: “Some people still ask about why are we making such a fuss about coronavirus.”

“Coronavirus is a new disease, 35 million people have been infected worldwide and more than one million people have died.

“There are currently no drugs licensed to treat or prevent coronavirus anywhere in the world and there is no known cure. We do not have a vaccine, but research continues.

“Many people who have recovered from coronavirus have ongoing health problems although they have never been in a hospital – what’s known as long covid.

“Many people who ask the first question also say that more people die from the flu every year than coronavirus.

“Every year we have a flu season, which sadly results in people dying, something that we call excess winter deaths. That’s why we encourage people who are at risk of the flu and our NHS and care staff to get vaccinated every winter.

“Last year about 1900 people died from flu and pneumonia in Wales. Sadly, there have already been more than 2500 deaths involving coronavirus.

“People continue to die from coronavirus in Wales.

“The next question is relatively similar and that’s the one about the number of people in hospital dying are tiny and the threat has been blown up out of proportion.

“Over the last month we’ve seen a rapid increase in cases across Wales. The virus returned as people came home from holiday abroad and has been spread also as people have socialised without social distancing crucially, and most often in people’s homes.

“The majority have had a mild illness so far, but an increase in cases is followed within two to three weeks by the start of higher hospital admissions, higher critical care admissions and more deaths.

“Last week an average of 73 people a day were admitted to hospital with coronavirus. The number of people in hospital with coronavirus has almost doubled in the last fortnight.

“Sadly, the number of people who are dying is increasing week on week.

“It’s easy to forget what things were like just six months ago, when around 150 people were admitted to hospital each day with coronavirus. Our intensive care units, including the additional capacity of the NHS created, were very close to being overrun.

“If we can’t control the spread of the virus locally, we will see this happening again.

“And next question is why other countries like Sweden, which is commonly mentioned, which didn’t introduce lockdowns have lower cases than us.

“I understand what tempting to look at other countries which didn’t go through the difficult months of a nationwide lockdown.

“But it’s just not as simple as comparing the experience in Wales or indeed the UK with other countries which didn’t lockdown.

“If we look at Sweden, it’s home to just 10 million people and it’s almost twice the size of the UK. There have been more than 5000 coronavirus deaths in Sweden, compared to hundreds in its Scandinavian neighbours which introduced stricter measures.

Mr Gething also moved to address questions about why people in local lockdown areas are unable to see family and friends outside of their household, but are able to sit near strangers in pubs and restaurants.

Similar arguments have been made about schools being kept open.

He added: “I do know, from my own experience, that it’s very difficult for families who have been separated by the pandemic.

“But if you’re going to a pub you cannot sit with a stranger. You can only go to a pub with someone you live with or in the same exclusive bubble with. Gathering with friends sitting on another table is not an exception to that rule.

“The law is very clear about what the owner and manager of a business must do to keep everyone who uses it safe.

“We do not and would not put similar laws in place to regulate people’s private homes in