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Health minister Vaughan Gething led the Welsh Government briefing on the coronavirus outbreak in Wales today (May 26).
Here is a summary of what he had to say:
Concerns for “loss of public trust” after lockdown breach accusations about Dominic Cummings “Unacceptable” reports of people being referred to testing sites “as far away as Devon” First Minister to announce outcome of lockdown review on Friday Cautious approach to easing measures continues to be “overwhelmingly supported” by the public Concerns for “loss of public trust” after Dominic Cummings accusations
Commenting on accusations against the Prime Minister’s special adviser Dominic Cummings, Mr Gething said that if he had driven to the other side of the UK during the lockdown, he would have resigned.
“If I had driven to the other end of the country to see a family member when I thought my wife could be potentially symptomatic with Covid-19 that would have been a clear breach of the rules in place at the time and my position as a minister would have been untenable,” he said.
Vaughan Gething led the Welsh Government coronavirus briefing on Tuesday
(Image: Welsh Government)
But he said it isn’t for him to make choices about the Prime Minister’s senior special adviser.
“What does matter to me is not so much the fate of Dominic Cummings and his job, it’s actually whether people across all four nations, including here in Wales, are going to continue to follow the rules to keep us all safe.
“My real concern is the loss of public trust that comes from the ever-changing circus of the last few days,” he said.
Mr Gething added: “It’s for the Prime Minister to resolve issues for him and his staff and to understand the message that sends to people here in Wales and to the rest of the UK about whether we really are all in this together and to understand that we all need to be in this together to get through to the other side in this post-coronavirus world.”
“Unacceptable” for people to be referred to testing sites “as far away as Devon”
Mr Gething said that last week the Welsh Government set out how it is moving to a UK-wide website to enable people with symptoms to book a test.
Now, he said, initial figures show that within the first four days of being available, more than 600 tests were completed by people in Wales.
However, the health minister said he has heard some reports of critical workers being referred to in-person testing sites as far away as Devon and Hereford.
This is “not acceptable”, he said.
“Testing is available in Wales for Welsh critical workers.”
He added that the government will continue to work with providers of the UK website and the 119 phone line “to iron out any of these quirks in the system.”
First Minister to announce outcome of lockdown review on Friday
Asked about potential changes to lockdown measures in Wales, Mr Gething said the cabinet discussion about Welsh lockdown restrictions hasn’t happened yet.
He said a four-nations discussion has also not yet taken place.
Any decisions which are made will be announced by the First Minister on Friday, he said.
Wales is now several months into lockdown
(Image: Richard Swingler)
He reiterated that a cautious approach to easing measures continues to be “overwhelmingly supported” by the public, but that the government was looking at ways people may be able to meet with close friends and family.
“I understand that heartache the people feel and I feel it myself with my own family,” Mr Gething said.
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