Andrew RT Davies MS has urged the First Minister to listen to experts who have said a more compassionate approach must be taken over single people who are back in recently re-imposed lockdown.
Mr Davies – the Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister – was referring to comments made by Professor Sian Griffiths, who said that rules should be eased over concerns for people’s mental health.
Mr Davies said:
“Coronavirus has produced a number of crises: Covid itself; the effect on the economy; and the hidden pandemic of mental health adversely affected by the lockdowns.
“A recent report in The Lancet referred to three out of 10 suicides in one area of England being attributable to pressures brought on by the pandemic and lockdown, with concerns expressed for rises in alcohol and drug abuse during lockdown.
“And though we might generalise that it’s only our older residents experiencing this, it likely cuts across all groups. Vulnerability and poor mental health do not only affect older people.
“As with getting diagnoses and elective surgery back on track, we cannot win the war against Covid only to see the mental health of people here in Wales deteriorate.
“So, I am calling on the First Minister and his Health Minister to do the humane thing, the compassionate thing, and look at ways of helping to identify and then ease the stresses and isolation of people on their own during lockdown.”
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