National Assembly for Wales

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Regrets that the Welsh Government failed to consult with the Senedd on possible measures to tackle the spread of the disease prior to the announcement of its so-called firebreak.

Notes that SAGE indicates that circuit-breakers will have a moderate negative impact but excluded the economic impacts, which will likely be severe and long-lasting.

Does not believe that Wales needs to resort to such drastic measures at this stage and calls for stronger enforcement of measures in COVID-19 hotspots.

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To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that, for week ending 11 October 2020, Public Health Wales reported that:

a) 367 inpatients tested positive for SARS-Cov-2, within the last 28 days, out of a total of 8,358 inpatients in all hospital wards in Wales;

b) 24 inpatients tested positive for SARS-Cov-2, within the last 28 days, out of a total of 132 inpatients in all critical care wards in Wales.

2. Believes that the firebreak period, as proposed by SAGE and the Welsh Government technical advisory group, will function more like an incinerator which:

a) will destroy large parts of Wales's hospitality, leisure and other important industries;

b) is disproportionate to any objective health risk;

c) is a gross invasion of civil liberty; and

d) is self-defeating, because it is likely to do no more than delay the inevitable course of the virus.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to not implement the firebreak period, as proposed by SAGE and the Welsh Government technical advisory group.

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To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the recent trends in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Wales and the number of people in hospitals and intensive care units with COVID-19.

2. Expresses disappointment at the failure of the Welsh Government to publish sufficient data and evidence to demonstrate that a firebreak period for all parts of Wales is either proportionate or necessary.

3. Believes that any coronavirus restrictions must be underpinned by support for those adversely affected, including support for businesses, livelihoods, and wellbeing.

4. Welcomes the unprecedented financial support from Her Majesty’s Government, including more than £4.4 billion to assist in meeting the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to rethink its coronavirus strategy and adopt a more targeted approach to intervention.

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Agrees that existing capacity should be fully utilised and that the additional resources that are necessary should be provided as a matter of urgency to the Welsh test trace protect system to ensure that all results are returned and tracing teams notified of positive results within 24 hours of a test.

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Agrees that the firebreak should be used as an opportunity to plan and implement a new set of interventions based on a zero COVID or elimination strategy which aims to avoid the necessity for successive waves of lockdowns, drawing upon the lessons of best practice from within Wales and internationally in areas such as, though not limited to: mass and routine testing including testing asymptomatic contacts; ventilation; preventing importation of cases from outside Wales; practical and financial support and advice for those needing to isolate; clear and consistent public communication; and extending mask-wearing to other settings.

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Calls on the UK Government to increase the level of wage support provided through the job support scheme to that provided in March 2020 when the job retention scheme was introduced.

Calls on the UK Government to relax borrowing restrictions to allow the Welsh Government more fiscal flexibility to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

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Calls on the UK Government to bring forward the introduction of the job support scheme by eight days.

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Calls on the Welsh Government to review its hospital-infection control policies for preventing hospital-acquired infections of COVID-19 and to consider establishing designated COVID-19 free sites to facilitate timely and secure treatment for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.