Moving on to ‘living with the virus’with cautious optimism
AR ôl 2 flynedd anodd tu hwnt, mae gen i optimistiaeth wirioneddol ynglŷn â’r sefyllfa covid erbyn hyn. Tydan ni ddim tu hwnt i’r pandemig eto, gyda throsglwyddiad cymunedol sylweddol yn dal i fod, ond mae digon o dystiolaeth erbyn hyn ein bod yn brysur ar y ffordd allan o’r don Omicron. Mae’n ymddangos bod effaith y feirws wedi’i liniaru gan y brechlyn, yr amrywiolyn gymharol wanach, a’r mesurau amddiffyn a roddwyd ar waith o amgylch cyfnod y Nadolig.
O ganlyniad, fe allwn wir obeithio symud i’r cam o ‘fyw gyda’r feirws’, nid oherwydd bod gwleidyddiaeth yn dweud hynny, ond gan fod y dystiolaeth yn dweud hynny – mae arna i ofn fod Llywodraeth y DU wedi ceisio gweithredu o flaen y dystiolaeth yn rhy aml, am ei anghenion gwleidyddol ei hun ac wrth ymdrechu am benawdau newyddion i dynnu sylw oddi wrth ei drafferthion ei hun.
Yn ystod y dyddiau a’r wythnosau diwethaf yn y Senedd, fel Gweinidog Cysgodol Plaid Cymru dros Iechyd a Gofal, rwyf wedi cael cyfleoedd i holi Gweinidogion am y camau nesaf hollbwysig hynny ac i annog ffocws newydd ar symud i’r cam nesaf, endemig hwnnw o’r stori coronafeirws hwn. Nid rwan yw’r amser i eistedd yn ôl, fodd bynnag. Rhaid i’r camau nesaf gynnwys rhoi mesurau gwyliadwriaeth cadarn, hirdymor ar waith fel y gallwn barhau i fonitro a deall patrwm y feirws a chadw llygad am unrhyw syrpreisys annisgwyl.
Rydym ar hyn o bryd yn wynebu argyfwng arall, hefyd, sef yr argyfwng sy’n deillio o’r cynnydd mewn costau byw. Arweiniodd Plaid Cymru ddadl yn y Senedd yr wythnos diwethaf yn tynnu sylw at y bygythiad hwn, sydd ar ei fwyaf difrifol i’r rhai sydd eisoes yn agored i niwed. Yn syml, mae’n rhaid i lywodraethau gynnig mwy o gymorth mewn cyfnod o galedi ariannol gwirioneddol i lawer. Cefais i gyfle i dynnu sylw at bryderon ynghylch codiadau mewn prisiau ynni’n benodol.
Yn olaf, sylw am y sefyllfa ddiweddaraf o ran symudiadau nwyddau ar draws Môr Iwerddon. Mae ystadegau a gyhoeddwyd yn Iwerddon yr wythnos ddiwethaf yn awgrymu bod traffig rhwng Caergybi a Dulyn wedi gostwng o draean o ganlyniad i Brexit. Dyma’n union oedd y bygythiad.
Rwy’n bryderus dros yr unigolion a’r teuluoedd hynny sydd â’u bywoliaeth yn dibynnu ar y porthladd. Mae llawer o swyddi eisoes wedi’u colli, yn dawel bach, gyda gweithwyr ar gytundebau ‘zero hours’ wedi cael gwybod nad oes angen eu gwasanaethau mwyach. Byddaf yn gwneud popeth o fewn fy ngallu i annog busnes newydd ar gyfer y porthladd, yn enwedig yn y sector ynni’r môr. Yn anffodus, mae beth ddylai wedi bod yn dwf ychwanegol i borthladd bywiog yn fwy hanfodol nag erioed erbyn hyn.
AFTER a gruelling 2 years, I now have real optimism regarding the covid situation. Whilst we’re not out of the woods yet, and with community transmission remaining significant, there is plenty of evidence that we are quickly on the way out of the very large Omicron wave. It appears that impact has been mitigated by the vaccine, the relatively milder variant, and the protection measures put in place around the Christmas period.
So now we really can hope for moving to the ‘living with the virus’ stage, not because politics says so, but because the evidence does - UK Government has, I’m afraid, tried to move ahead of evidence too often, for its own political needs and in search of headlines to divert attention away from its own troubles.
In the Senedd in recent days and weeks, as Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Minister for Health and Care, I’ve had opportunities to question Ministers about those crucial next steps and to encourage a new focus on the move to that next, endemic stage of this coronavirus story. We mustn’t be complacent, however, and part of that shift must include putting robust, longer-term surveillance measures in place so we can continue to monitor and understand the behaviour of the virus and look out for any nasty surprises.
We are currently facing another emergency, too, the crisis that arises from the increase in costs of living. Plaid Cymru led a debate in the Senedd last week highlighting this threat that is most acute to those who are already vulnerable. Governments simply have to step up to the mark to offer more assistance in what will be a time of real financial hardship for many. I has a chance to draw attention to concerns about energy price increases in particular.
Finally, a comment about the latest situation regarding freight movements across the Irish Sea. Statistics published in Ireland last week suggests that traffic between Holyhead and Dublin has dropped by a third as a result of Brexit. This was always the threat.
My fear, of course, is for those individuals and families whose livelihoods depend on the port. Many jobs have already been lost, quietly, with long-term zerohours workers told their services are no longer needed. I’ll do all I can to encourage new business for the port, especially in the offshore energy sector. What should have been additional growth for a vibrant port is now more vital than ever.
As always, please feel free to contact my office anytime on 01248 723599 or email rhun.apiorwerth@senedd.cymru and I or a member of the team will be more than happy to discuss any issue with you.