600 recruited for tracing programme
AROUND 600 people have been recruited as contact tracers for the Welsh Government’s test and trace plan set to launch this Monday, NHS Wales’ chief executive has said.
Speaking at a Welsh Government coronavirus briefing yesterday afternoon, Dr Andrew Goodall said this number would need to be expanded if cases of the virus increase.
Asked whether we have 1,000 people in place for the test, trace, protect plan, Dr Goodall clarified that the number needed is based on the prevalence of the virus in the community. He said they will recruit in line with the demand, adding that “if the virus is on the increase, you’ll need to expand number”.
He said there is the possibility of teething issues, including the ability to hold some of the data, whether the call handling facilities are in place, and understanding the differences in how to react in a city versus rural areas.
Asked whether there will be penalties for noncompliance with contract tracing efforts, Dr Goodall said: “We want to work alongside the public so they understand the reasons and the rationale.”
He said the general approach would not be to issue penalties, adding that contact tracing was already taking place in the early stages of the pandemic in Wales and people were open and understanding about this.
However, he said the country has seen “a really important two or three weeks that we can see has genuinely contributed to an ongoing reduction of community transmission” as well as a reduction of patients in hospital and critical care beds.
As well as seeing a decrease in daily confirmed cases of the virus, he said the majority of people coming through the doors of intensive care are now being treated for non Covid-related conditions. In his press briefing, Dr Goodall reported that: ■ fewer than 100 new positive cases were reported in Wales on Wednesday, a figure which has been on
“steady April; ■ many local authority areas are now reporting fewer than five new cases a day; ■ the number of people dying with Covid-19 has been falling since the middle of April
Dr Goodall said most Welsh hospitals are reporting level one status – the lowest level of pressure – while three of them were reporting level two on Thursday morning.
Before the pandemic, it was not uncommon for hospitals to frequently be operating under level three – and even the highest level four.
He also highlighted that NHS Wales capacity is coping well with the outbreak, with around a third of acute hospital beds currently empty – around 2,200 beds.
However, he warned that demand in areas like decline” since
THE number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Wales has risen by 14.
Public Health Wales (PHW) reported yesterday that the number of fatalities with labconfirmed Covid-19 has now reached 1,307 since the outbreak began.
The NHS trust added that the number of
A&E are beginning to increase again as “normal NHS activity” starts to resume.
The NHS chief executive also painted a positive picture of demand on intensive care in Wales.
He reported that: ■ The number of open and available intensive care beds in Wales was 354, including additional capacity; ■ Some 62% of these beds are currently empty and available for use if required; ■ The number of people being treated in intensive care who have coronavirus now stands at 44 - the lowest seen since March 27; ■ The majority of people being treated in critical care do not have coronavirus.
Overall, the number of people who have been treated in intensive care for the virus in Wales since confirmed cases has risen by 72, bringing the total to 13,725. Blaenau Gwent, Newport, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire reported no new cases of the virus in the latest daily figures .
In terms of testing, where capacity now stands at more than 5,500 in Wales, on Wednesday just 1,555 tests were conducted. the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 506.
And fewer than 10% of people admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are admitted to critical care. The Welsh Government’s initial projections at the start of the pandemic were that this figure would be much higher.
Other figures included: ■ 56 – the average age of someone with coronavirus being treated in critical care; ■ 75% – the percentage of people with coronavirus who are admitted to intensive care are mechanically ventilated within the first 24 hours; ■ 11 days – the average length of time someone with coronavirus needs respiratory support in critical care; ■ 85% – the percentage people with coronavirus who needed respiratory support in critical care received advanced support and 44% received basic respiratory support.
Dr Goodall said nearly 5,500 people have now been discharged from Welsh hospitals, including intensive care, after receiving treatment for Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.
“Critical care staff have been at the sharp end of the pandemic and I want to thank them all for their exceptional efforts and for the care they have provided – not just at the peak of the pandemic, but every day to all those people whose lives depend on it,” said Dr Goodall.
Dr Goodall said there have been reports from clinicians about an increase in people with anxiety or emotional distress and people who presented later than they should have.
If you’re coming to an emergency department, he said, don’t be alarmed by people wearing PPE.
“They are wearing this for their protection and importantly for yours,” he said.
Dr Goodall said he wants to continue to manage people’s health in the local community as much as possible. Asked about advice for people who wish to wear masks in public, Dr Goodall said the chief medical officer for Wales has already provided advice on this.
He said that there is very minimal evidence that wearing masks in public will have a positive impact.
However, he said there is evidence that face coverings may be helpful in particularly crowded environments, like public transport.
He said that the underlying message from the Welsh Government is if people are going to choose to use them, they should continue to maintain social distancing and take precautions.