FIRE BREAK MUST BE “LAST NATIONAL LOCKDOWN” SAYS PLAID

Plaid Leader Adam Price unveils party’s post fire break plan

The Autumn Fire Break should be the “last national lockdown” Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price has said.

The Plaid Cymru Leader was launching his party’s proposals for the post Fire Break period.

The proposals are presented to ensure the Welsh Government follows through on its pledge to “adopt a zero-Covid-19 strategy for Wales”, to advance policies and technologies that can enable life to return to normal as far as possible, and to seek to reduce all deaths attributable to the Covid-19 crisis.

The plan calls on the Welsh Government to optimise Wales’ testing capacity and to facilitate the 24 hour turn-around time, self-isolation supported financially up to £800, blended learning in schools, maintaining travel restrictions, mass testing, identifying Covid-free or Covid-light zones in hospitals, mental health support and a vaccine plan for Wales.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price said,

“As this pandemic wears on, possibly for months or even years to come, we need a sustainable alternative. Government needs to set out a plan for next six months and a broader vision for next 18 months. We can’t keep going in and out of national lockdowns – this circuit breaker has to be the last.

“Above all else, the Welsh Government must focus on optimising Wales’s own testing capacity through NHS so that Wales is decreasingly reliant on the failing UK Lighthouse Labs to process tests and reaches the 24-hour turnaround timescale target. 

“This is both a health and an economic emergency and businesses must be supported financially to weather the storm.  The Westminster Government must also commit to maintaining the furlough scheme in Wales for as long as the Welsh Government deems it necessary to support our public health measures.

“It’s time for a new strategy, a new approach to enable life to return to normal as far as possible.