Welsh Government Coronavirus COVID-19 News 08/01/2021
Keep Wales safe
• stay at home
• meet only the people you live with
• maintain social distancing
• wash your hands regularly
• work from home if you can
All of Wales is at alert level 4.
Headline News
First Minister: “Stay home to save lives”
First Minister Mark Drakeford said everyone must stay at home to save lives as he confirmed the alert level four coronavirus restrictions in Wales will continue. Please follow this link for further information.
Second COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Wales
The second COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled-out across Wales from Monday 4 January with at least 40,000 doses available within the first 2 weeks. Please follow this link for further information.
A joint statement from the UK CMOs recommending that the UK COVID-19 Alert Level move from Level 4 to Level 5
Following advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and in the light of the most recent data, the four UK Chief Medical Officers and NHS England Medical Director recommend that the UK Alert Level should move from Level 4 to Level 5. Please follow this link for further information.
Written Statement: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Amendments
Please follow this link for further information.
Other News
Plans in place at Holyhead as EU transition period ends
Plans are in place to minimise any possible disruption at the port of Holyhead following the end of the EU transition period overnight. Please follow this link for further information.
Appointments of Regional Returning Officers
The Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James, has announced the designated regional returning officers for the 2021 Senedd Cymru elections. Please follow this link for further information.
More than 500 applications to £10 million empty homes grant scheme
More than 500 applications have been received to bring empty homes back in to use through Welsh Government’s £10 million Valleys Taskforce Empty Homes Grant Scheme, Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport Lee Waters has announced Please follow this link for further information.
Guidance
Alert level 4: frequently asked questions
Guidance on how you can keep safe and what rules are in place to protect people at alert level 4. Please follow this link for further information.
Guidance on learning in schools and settings: coronavirus
This guidance provides advice on learning and teaching that schools and settings may wish to provide. Please follow this link for further information.
Business closures: alert level 4
Businesses that must close at alert level 4. Please follow this link for further information.
Leaving your home and seeing other people: alert level 4
Rules on meeting people outside your home at alert level 4. Please follow this link for further information.
Travel and transport: advice
Information for travelling across Wales during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Please follow this link for further information.
Moving home during the coronavirus pandemic: housing sector (alert level 4)
How landlords, estate agents and developers can get ready for viewings, view properties and reopen offices. Please follow this link for further information.
Protective measures in childcare settings: keep childcare safe
How to get your childcare service ready to allow more children to attend and protect them and your staff from coronavirus. Please follow this link for further information.
Care home testing process maps
Process maps to provide guidance for COVID-19 testing in care homes. Please follow this link for further information.
Schools: coronavirus guidance
Changes to learning and teaching in schools. Please follow this link for further information.
Protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19) – previously known as ‘shielding’: FAQs
Information for people who have been identified as being at a very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus. Please follow this link for further information.
Visits to care homes: guidance
Guidance on how to enable safe visiting during the coronavirus pandemic. Please follow this link for further information.
Childcare and play: alert level 4 frequently asked questions
Guidance for parents and childcare providers under alert level 4. Please follow this link for further information.
Taxi and private hire vehicle guidance
Information for the taxi and private hire vehicle industry. Please follow this link for further information.
Legislation,Technical Advice & Statistics.
Coronavirus legislation and guidance on the law
The laws and guidance on these laws passed in Wales in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Please follow this link for further information.
Evidence and data used to inform coronavirus restrictions
The evidence Welsh Government uses to decide how to protect everyone from coronavirus. Please follow this link for further information.
Advice on coronavirus from the Technical Advisory Cell
Information to help ministers respond in the best interests of the Welsh population to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please follow this link for further information.
Technical Advisory Group: variant of concern and education in Wales
The most recent advice around the new Variant of Concern and Education and Schools, used by ministers to make informed decisions to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Please follow this link for further information.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) related statistics and research
Latest data and analysis on the effect of coronavirus on society in Wales. Please follow this link for further information.
Impact assessments: coronavirus
Assessments of how our measures to manage COVID-19 affect equality of opportunity. Please follow this link for further information.
Promotional Materials & Toolkits
Alert Level 4
Keep Wales Safe assets for Alert Level 4 including Easyread, a BSL clip and an easyshare leaflet in different languages. Please follow this link for further information.
Keep Wales Safe assets
A link to assets focusing on lockdown, new variant of coronavirus and strengthened messages – including links for Covid information in different languages on the Welsh Government website. Please follow this link for further information.
Test, Trace Protect promotional materials
Test, Trace, Protect promotional material including promotional materials for the new COVID-19 app. Please follow this link for further information.
Business Wales Tool Kit
Practical resources to help employers keep their workforce safe at work. Please follow this link for further information.
COVID-19 workforce risk assessment tool
This tool helps you consider your personal risk factors for COVID-19 and suggests how to stay safe. Please follow this link for further information.
NHS COVID-19 app
Are you using the NHS COVID-19 app? The app allows you to report symptoms, order a coronavirus test, and check in to venues by scanning a QR code, all while protecting your anonymity. If you’ve already downloaded the app, please remember to use it – the more people who use the app, the greater our chances of reducing the spread of the virus. The app is an important part of our Test, Trace, Protect programme. Please follow this link for further information.
Symptom Study
Help us fight coronavirus by reporting your health daily, even if you feel well.
You can help us fight coronavirus by completing a daily health survey on the COVID-19 symptom study app. This app is for everyone, not just for those who have symptoms.
The app will help us understand the symptoms and spread of COVID-19. By answering some quick questions, you can help us plan our response to coronavirus.
We will not share the answers you give us beyond the NHS and trusted organisations working directly with the NHS in response to coronavirus. Please follow this link for further information.
Test, Trace, Protect strategy
A campaign is underway aimed at informing the general public and critical workers of the Welsh Government’s Test, Trace, Protect strategy. The website has been updated with the latest information on the strategy, including guidance for employers (https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus). New video and animated social assets have been produced for use across paid-for campaigns and for stakeholders to share through their own channels. The assets are available to download here (Please follow this link for further information) and please disseminate these to your networks and use across your social media channels to help share information on Test, Trace, Protect.
Information
Business and employers
Support to help businesses and third sector organisations affected by coronavirus. Please follow this link for further information.
Coronavirus health advice
Stay at home, self-isolation, support as an extremely vulnerable person. Please follow this link for further information.
Education and childcare
Guidance on coronavirus for parents, everyone working in education and childcare providers. Please follow this link for further information.
Health and social care professionals
Coronavirus guidance for the NHS and people working in social, community and residential care. Please follow this link for further information.
Housing
Guidance for landlords, park (mobile) homes and rough sleeper services during the coronavirus pandemic. Please follow this link for further information.
Travel
Coronavirus advice for people returning from abroad or planning to travel. Please follow this link for further information.
Volunteering (third sector)
Volunteering during the coronavirus pandemic, support for the third sector. Please follow this link for further information.
Community services
Planning, fire, domestic abuse and sexual violence. Please follow this link for further information.
Jobs,skills and financial support
Help with benefits, to stay in work and gain new skills. Please follow this link for further information.
Useful links
