Will the Minister confirm if funding has been set aside for CO2 monitors in Welsh hospitals, and if so how much?
I can confirm specific funding has not been set aside for CO2 monitors in Welsh hospitals.
A UK wide NHS group was set up to look at ventilation in healthcare settings. One subgroup concentrated specifically on the use of CO2 monitoring in healthcare. The draft findings concluded that there was insufficient data to recommend the blanket installation of CO2 monitoring in healthcare facilities at this time.
Individual health boards may wish to install them as an additional tool in managing SARS-CoV-2 – noting that CO2 values are not a direct indicator of COVID 19 risk. Risk of transmission is complex and is based on individual, environmental and epidemiological factors.