Welsh people urged NOT to spend Christmas with their families or risk ‘higher deaths and hospitalisations in January’ as country’s infection rate surges 65% in three weeks
People in Wales have been ‘strongly advised’ to not spend Christmas with family members they don’t live with after infections surged by 65 per cent in three weeks.
Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford said the situation in the country is ‘incredibly serious’ as top scientific advisers warned against socialising in the festive period.
The devolved government may have to bring in tougher pre-Christmas rules if cases don’t come under control soon, they said, and the NHS will have to think hard about whether it needs to stop some services to make space for Covid-19 patients.
Wales will be part of the UK’s planned relaxation of social distancing between December 23 and 27, which will allow households to meet in bubbles.
But scientists on the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) sent out the stark warning that it is ‘likely to lead to higher deaths and hospitalisations after Christmas’.
In its most recent report, the group said: ‘If people can avoid seeing others over the Christmas period, perhaps postponing celebrations until later next year or meeting remotely, then this is strongly advised.
‘Pre-isolation may be a helpful consideration for families with children before visiting older relatives.
‘Similarly, in occupations where there is a higher odds ratio of infection, pre-isolation before mixing with older adults may reduce the risk of transmission.’
Official data shows Wales’ infection rate rose from 181 per 100,000 on November 16 to nearly 300 on December 3.
Meanwhile, Wales’ chief medical officer has said the best present people can give to their families is a ‘coronavirus-free Christmas’.
Dr Frank Atherton told a press conference in Cardiff that people should not mix with people outside of their household between now and Christmas.
‘We do know that the virus spreads from person to person very easily, so to reduce it we have to all work to reduce the number of people that we’re in contact with between now and Christmas, that’s a really critical period,’ Dr Atherton said.
‘My message on this is really very simple – it is don’t mix with people outside of your household in the period between now and Christmas.
‘Anything that leads to increased mixing of people is increasing risk, so don’t mix if you can avoid it.’