Senedd Member for Mid and West Wales Eluned Morgan has urged people to step up actions to prevent the spread of Coronavirus following a sudden spike in cases on the Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire borders.
A number of schools and businesses have been shut in response to the outbreak caused by what Ceredigion Council has described as ‘super spreader events’. There are growing fears that an increase in asymptomatic cases could also turbo boost Covid numbers across an area previously protected from the worst of the pandemic to date.
Eluned Morgan MS said: “The firebreak lockdown has helped to reduce the prevalence of Covid-19 particularly in rural counties. However, that good work risks being undermined when people simply do not follow the scientific guidance on keeping Wales safe.”
“Covid can only spread when people pass it from one person to another. We have seen how easily that can happen over the weekend and the disruption it can cause across many communities over a short space of time.”
“We are all itching to get back to some sort of normality, but we must remain on high alert and that means strictly reducing the number of people we come into contact with and observing basic hygiene advice like wearing a mask and washing hands often.
“It is a shame that the irresponsible actions of a minority are causing so many problems for the rest of us. I cannot state this strongly enough: it is only by working together do we have the power to cut the rate of infection and avoid causing harm and disruption to others.”
Eluned Morgan has also urged bars and restaurants and in particular, retailers to up their game in promoting positive hygiene and to remind staff of the need to maintain a physical distance in shops and supermarkets in the run up to Christmas.
Businesses are also reminded to register for a QR code from the UK Government website which can be displayed in store so customers can ‘check in’ using the NHS Covid 19 app to help with the Test, Trace, Protect programme. Hospitality businesses must also maintain records of customers for tracing purposes.
Eluned continued: “Retailers will be hoping a for a busy period in the lead up to Christmas. I have been impressed by some shops who stop and ask customers to sanitise before entering and others who encourage shoppers not to touch items on shelves or to visit in large groups. Ensuring your business is covid secure provides much needed reassurance to customers at this very uncertain time and also makes good business sense too.”
For the latest advice on Coronavirus in Wales visit www.gov.wales/coronavirus
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