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Health

Mark Drakeford in Milford Haven as pub tills ring for first weekend since December

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As part of the easing of lockdown restrictions, hospitality business owners let out a sigh of relief this week after a long winter as it was announced by Mark Drakeford that the sector could open – partially.

On Monday, many of us went for a pint as pubs, cafes, and restaurants can now serve customers outdoors.

First Minister Mark Drakeford visited Milford Haven on Sunday (May 2) in last minute campaigning before the election on Thursday.

It was the first weekend of trade since pubs were forced to shut before Christmas.

Indoor hospitality is still set to return on May 17 he confirmed.

Announcing the changes officially for the first time last week, First Minister said: “The public health context in Wales remains favourable, with cases falling and our vaccination programme continues to go from strength to strength.

“Because meeting outdoors continues to be lower risk than meeting indoors, we are able to bring forward changes to allow any six people to meet outdoors.

“This will provide more opportunities for people, especially young people, to meet outdoors with their friends.

“This will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on people’s wellbeing. I’m also pleased to confirm outdoor hospitality will be allowed to reopen from Monday 26 April.

“These changes will help the hospitality sector recover after a difficult twelve months. It is thanks to the continuing efforts of people across Wales we are able to introduce this change. Together, we will continue to keep Wales safe.”

Reaction to the changes

Welcoming the announcement Jane Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said it was “great news”.

She said: “As a nation we must all work together to ensure the vaccination programme continues and that the lockdowns and closures we’ve been through never need to return.”

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader, Andrew RT Davies, said: “Labour had ample opportunity to bring forward a roadmap out of lockdown, but refused to do so.

“Thanks to the UK’s great vaccination story much more detail could have been announced prior to the election period… but Labour chose to play politics instead of adopting the Welsh Conservative roadmap.”

Mark Reckless, from the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party, said: “This is getting to the point of testing election rules to breaking point.

“The Labour leader is using his platform as first minister to make political announcements during an election campaign.”

So what do businesses have to do by law?

Welsh Government guidance states: “As an employer or business operator, you have a legal responsibility to protect employees and visitors; and anyone else on the premises, from risks to their health and safety. You also need to assess the risks from COVID-19 and take reasonable measures to minimise exposure to the virus.

“Risk assessments are used to identify and address these risks or minimise them. When undertaking your specific COVID-19 risk assessment you must comply with the Coronavirus Regulations and have regard to the statutory guidance and use this document to inform your decisions and control measures, recognising you cannot eliminate all risks.

“Risk assessments must be reviewed and updated regularly, whenever circumstances change including whenever the coronavirus alert levels change in Wales.

“A risk assessment is not about creating huge amounts of paperwork, but rather about identifying sensible measures to control risks. Your risk assessment will help you decide whether you have done everything you reasonably need to. There are interactive tools available to support you from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) at Managing risks and risk assessments at work.

“These risk assessments will be the starting point for implementing the reasonable measures that are required to be taken to minimise exposure to the coronavirus on premises open to the public and in workplaces.

“This involves considering issues such as: whether ventilation is adequate; hygiene factors including hand washing and access to hand washing facilities; ensuring physical distancing is taking place and if 2m is achievable; the extent to which the use of screens, PPE and face coverings can mitigate risks, especially where the 2m distance is not achievable.”

Made possible by the vaccine?

As of April 29th, Public Health Wales said a total of 1,816,451 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have now been given in Wales.

The agency said 732,643 second doses have also been administered.

Wales is currently in phase two of its vaccination programme, meaning the NHS is now inviting everyone aged 40 to 49 to be vaccinated, after successfully offering the vaccine to everyone in the JCVI priority groups 1-9.

It comes as an estimated six in 10 adults (61 per cent) in private households would have tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies in the week to April 11th, the ONS said on April 28th.

This is up from around one in two adults, or 48.2 per cent, two weeks earlier.

On April 7th, Wales became the first country in Britain to administer the Moderna vaccine.

It was also announced on April 14th that all over 16s who live with an adult with a weakened immune system are to be prioritised for Covid-19 jabs, following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Adults who are immunosuppressed have a weaker immune system to fight infections naturally and are more likely to have poorer outcomes after contracting coronavirus.

This includes those with blood cancer, HIV or those who are having immunosuppressive treatment.

What about hospitality that can’t operate outdoors?

The First Minister has announced that an extra £200m is available to help businesses which are not yet able to open.

This will help top up the non-domestic rates grants. Mr Drakeford said it means hospitality, tourism, leisure and non-essential retail businesses, which must remain closed will be eligible for a third payment of between £4,000 and £5,000 to help them meet ongoing operating costs while they cannot trade.

“This is in top of the announcement earlier this week extending the business rates holiday for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses for the whole of the next financial year,” Mr Drakeford added.

“We have made well in excess of £2bn available to businesses over the course of the last year to help them through the pandemic, which is over and above the support available from the UK Government’s schemes.

“This is the most generous business support scheme available in the UK. I’m very pleased we’ve been able to safeguard more than 160,000 jobs in these most difficult of times.”

Controlling the crowds

Hospitality catering to households who have effectively been locked down all spring will be a welcome sight to many after large crowds recently descended upon Cardiff Bay.

Police had been given special powers after crowds gathered in Cardiff Bay on April 2nd, despite coronavirus restrictions still being in place.

Cardiff council said a significant amount of rubbish had been left by “large groups of people intent on breaking Covid-19 restrictions”.

South Wales Police has put a dispersal order in place, giving officers the power to exclude people from the area.

Covid rules at that time stated six people from two different households could meet outdoors. It followed similar scenes outside the Senedd earlier that week, when three police officers were injured.

Supt Marc Attwell said: “As restrictions have eased, the need for personal responsibility is critical and it is extremely disappointing that a small minority are willing to put themselves, and others, in harm’s way.

“Cardiff Bay in particular has attracted large crowds over the past few days.

“The behaviour seen over the past three days has placed additional pressure on not only the police but the local authority as well, and meant that officers have been diverted from other parts of the force.”

“We are asking people in groups of six or more who are thinking of attending or organising a gathering at the Senedd over this bank holiday weekend not to do so.”

Officers arrested a 20-year-old man for a public order offence, a 22-year-old woman was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and for possession of a Class A substance and a 35-year-old-man was also arrested for possession of a Class A substance.

The council said the trail of litter left a “huge task” for clean-up staff as “bins were left unused and the ground was littered with rubbish”.

“Despite the preventative measures put in place by the council, in partnership with South Wales Police, the Welsh government’s coronavirus regulations were again broken by a significant number of people illegally gathering in Cardiff Bay,” the authority said.

“The rules are clear, six people, from two households are allowed to meet outdoors, maintaining two metre social distancing.

“Breaking these rules significantly increases the chances of Covid-19 cases rising in the city.”

Now, with places for people to socialise in an organised manner, scenes like this should hopefully be avoided as people safely enjoy themselves.

Health

Hay fever warning – Tree pollen on the rise across Wales

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POLLEN experts are warning that the next few days could be significant for those who suffer from hay-fever.

“The first medium pollen counts of the season are forecast across Wales over the next 5 days,” says airborne allergens expert Max Wiseberg, “and many hay fever sufferers start to experience symptoms when the count reaches this level. The main culprit at this time is birch pollen, the pollen most tree pollen allergy sufferers are allergic to. So now is the time for hay fever sufferers to prepare for the season ahead.”

“Birch is arguably the most problematic tree of them all for hay fever sufferers,” continues Max. “In the same family as alder and hazel trees, the birch is the worst of the bunch for the 25% of UK hay fever sufferers who are allergic to tree pollen. The peak of the birch pollen season can run throughout April to mid May.”

“So now is the time to start preparing for the season ahead. If you are already starting to experience hay fever symptoms or want to avoid them being triggered, start to apply an allergen barrier balmsuch as HayMax, which works by trapping pollen before it enters the body and starts to work straight away. If you use antihistamines, many manufacturers recommend starting a month before your season starts, so if you haven’t started already, now is the time. And it’s the same with nasal sprays; they need several days to build up to their maximum protective effect and some makers advise starting using them one month before your hay fever season begins.”

“If your symptoms are particularly bad on a given day, or you find that nothing really works, or the remedy you use stops working, try combining products for a greater effect, in other words create your own ‘Hay Fever First Aid Kit’, a combination of products which can be complementary to one another. My recommendation would be an allergen barrier balm to trap the pollen, one (and only one) antihistamine to combat the overproduction of histamines, one (and only one) steroid nasal spray, as the nasal area is where the pollen enters and is most affected, plus one or more drug-free or natural products.”

“There are several practical things you can do to reduce the effects of pollen:

  • When you’re outdoors wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes. Apply an allergen barrier balm to help prevent pollen getting up your nose. And wear a cap or other head cover and tie up long hair to stop pollen getting trapped in your hair,
  • When you return home, take off your shoes at the front or back door so you don’t bring pollen indoors with you, Washing your face, changing your clothes and having a shower will all help by removing pollen from your hair and body.
  • Keep pollen out of your home. Keep doors and windows closed. Dust and vacuum regularly, including fabrics and upholstery, to remove pollen. Damp dusting will help stop pollen being dispersed back into the air. If you have a pet, keep it well groomed and washed regularly, to remove pollen from its fur and keep it out of the room in which you sleep.”

“There is currently no cure for hay fever – they’ve been working on it for years – but until there is there are many products – both natural and conventional – and lifestyle changes you can try. Check out my website www. https://haymax.biz/hay-fever/ for more ideas. Good luck!”

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Health

RCN’s three urgent steps to rescue Welsh NHS sent to First Minister

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HELEN WHYLEY, Director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales, has written to the First Minister calling for immediate action in three key areas to protect patients and secure the future of nursing in Wales.

The RCN first urges Vaughan Gething to deliver on promises in the Welsh government’s 2023/24 pay offer – prioritising patient safety by ensuring there are enough nursing staff to deliver safe and effective care. Second, the organisation warns him to responsibly introduce registered nursing associates to Wales. The letter ends by asking him to strategically invest in the education of nurses at all career stages, to meet future health care demands.

Promises in the 2023/24 pay offer included action on patients being cared for in inappropriate places (so-called “corridor care”), better access to flexible working, a 36-hour week, and more.

Helen Whyley said: “Now is the time for the First Minister to refresh his public commitment to safe and effective care. That would go a long way towards assuring nursing staff that his government will address the extreme pressures they are under.

“What’s critical is that the First Minister keeps nurses nursing in the NHS. That’s why he must make sure the Welsh government keeps every promise it made to our members last year to end industrial action. Those important promises could make a real difference to nurses and to their patients. That’s why our members accepted them in good faith – but half a year later, they have yet to feel a difference.

“New nursing roles are fantastic, but patients need to understand what that means for them – and, crucially, they need to be funded properly. Any risk to patient safety from registered nurses being inappropriately replaced is completely unacceptable. And this can’t become a distraction from getting the basics right, either. A national strategy for commissioning nursing education, all the way from student to advanced and consultant level, would be a fitting ambition for a new First Minister with a commitment to improving health.”

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Health

Brain Injury Group Donates £3,000 to local services

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THE SOUTH WEST WALES BRAIN INJURY GROUP (SWWBIG) has announced donations to two local health boards, giving £1,000 each to Neath Port Talbot Neuro Rehabilitation Unit and the Community Brain Injury Services at Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda University Health Boards.

This funding boost for the health boards comes from the profits earned at the SWWBIG conferences in 2022 and 2023, which were organised and sponsored by JCP Solicitors and co-sponsored by Fieldbay (part of the ivolve Care & Support group).  

The conferences, which have taken place annually since 2011, provide an opportunity for individuals and families affected by brain injury, as well as healthcare professionals, charities, students and researchers across South West Wales to come together and explore the critical stages of survival and recovery. 

The 2022 and 2023 conferences each welcomed around 200 attendees and raised £3,000 in excess funds. The committee, made up of healthcare workers and practitioners in the field of brain injury, voted to donate to the brain injury services in their local health boards, ensuring that the funds can be used to assist the brain injury community in South West Wales in the best way possible. 

Suzanna Charles, Chair of SWWBIG said: “The South West Wales Brain Injury Conferences are always a huge success, as we are able to facilitate important conversations for professionals working in the field and offer support.

“What is more, the conferences raise vital funds which will go towards providing ongoing rehabilitation for those affected by brain injury. We are proud to provide this additional funding which will have a direct, positive impact on brain injury survivors in our local area. 

“The journey through rehabilitation is different for everyone, and it is so important to have a supportive network of healthcare professionals and experts to guide patients while listening to their individual needs.”

The main objective of the South West Wales Brain Injury Group is to provide a forum for individuals with an interest in acquired brain injury, to educate and encourage development and dissemination of good practice. For more information on SWWBIG or to register your interest to attend the conference in 2024, please visit www.swwbig.co.uk.   

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