Public Health Wales statement on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
This statement will be updated daily at 2pm
Statement: Thursday 3 December 2020 Dr Robin Howe, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response
at Public Health Wales, said: “The Medicines and Healthcare Products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has now authorised the first COVID-19 vaccine as safe
and effective on the basis of detailed independent expert review of evidence
from large scale clinical trials. “The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has become the
first to receive MHRA clearance in the UK and 40 million doses of the vaccine
will shortly be available for delivery across the UK, with Wales getting its
allocation based on population. “This is welcome news, however the effects
of the vaccine may not be seen nationally for many months and it is extremely
important that everyone continues to follow the advice on keeping Wales safe;
keep contacts with other people to a minimum, keep a 2 metre distance from
others, wash hands regularly, wear a face covering where required, and
self-isolating when asked to do so. “It is now clear from the data that the Coronavirus cases
are rising in most parts of Wales, reversing the downward trend we had observed
as a result of the fire break. “The Welsh Government
have introduced restrictions for the hospitality sector from Friday 4 December ahead
of Christmas period, in order to reduce the opportunities for the virus to
spread in our communities and to keep people safe. “Pubs, restaurants,
bars and cafes will need to close at 6pm apart from takeaway services, and will
not be able to serve alcohol. “Indoor entertainment
venues such as cinemas, bingo halls, soft play centres and bowling alleys must
close from the same date, as must indoor visitor attractions such as museums,
galleries and heritage sites. “Public Health Wales
strongly urges everyone to follow these rules, to avoid transmission of
Coronavirus and to protect everyone in our communities, including the most vulnerable. “Due to high numbers
of positive cases in Torfaen, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is operating a number of mobile
COVID-19 testing units across Torfaen.
The mobile units will provide a walk up testing service for residents
who live nearby, and more details can be found on the Torfaen council and ABUHB
social media channels. “Torfaen residents who experience even
mild symptoms of coronavirus – a fever, continuous cough or loss of taste or
smell – or feel generally unwell, should call 0300 30 31 222 or visit https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test to book a test. “The festive period is
important for people across Wales who want to be with loved ones during the
holidays, particularly after a very difficult year, but we would remind
everyone that we must each continue to take
personal responsibility to limit the spread of the virus and protect our loved
ones, particularly if they are vulnerable or extremely vulnerable. For
many, this will mean that it isn’t possible to celebrate Christmas in the way
you normally would. “Public
Health Wales is encouraging everyone who lives, works or studies in Merthyr
Tydfil to attend the mass testing service at the Leisure Centre as soon as they
can – even if they do not have symptoms. “Thank you
to those who have already attended and undertaken a test, as this will help us
to break the chains of transmission in the area. However, in order for the exercise to be as
successful as possible then we need as many people in the area as possible to
be tested. “For more information about the testing
exercise, visit the MTCBC website. “Anyone aged 11+ without any symptoms can
have a test, but children under 18 will need parental consent. The more people
who get tested, the more chances we have to reduce the spread of the virus. “People with symptoms should
also get tested but need to book a test either by calling 119 or by clicking here. “We understand that
people will want to do their Christmas shopping at this time of year. We would
suggest to try to visit shops during off-peak times, to always maintain social
distancing and to wear a face covering if you can. Options such as ‘click and
collect’ or online purchasing may also be something to consider. “We ask the public to
observe the regulations and to limit their contact with other people as much as
possible so that we all work together to bring the numbers of positive cases
down. “This means staying
out of other people’s homes, limiting the times and the numbers of people that
you meet, maintaining social distancing and hand hygiene, working from home if
you can, and self-isolating if you show symptoms of coronavirus or are asked to
do so by contact tracers. “All of these actions
will help to break the chains of transmission, reduce the spread of the virus,
and keep people safe. “Action has been taken
following reports from health authorities in Denmark that widespread outbreaks
of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been found in mink farms, with subsequent
spread of a mink-variant virus to the local community. “As a precautionary
measure, Denmark was removed from the UK Coronavirus travel corridor list on
Friday 6 November. Any travellers returning to the UK will now be required to
self-isolate for 14 days according to the national guidance and legislation https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/self-isolating-when-you-arrive. “We would also advise
all members of the public with pet mink or ferrets to avoid contact with them
while symptomatic with any COVID symptoms. “We recognise that
many people may be finding life more challenging, resulting in difficulties
with mental health. There are many agencies which provide help and support,
including the C.A.L.L. helpline on 0800 132 737, which will refer callers to
the most appropriate organisation according to their needs. “If you are in severe
mental distress or are having suicidal thoughts, please contact Samaritans
Cymru free on 116 123. You can also find sources of advice and guidance on our website if you need some help
or are worried about a loved one. “NHS Wales is still
here to help you if you need care, and it’s important you continue to attend
appointments and seek help for urgent medical issues. You should phone
beforehand and follow any guidance your local surgery, dentist, optometrist or
health service has put in place to protect you and staff, including the need to
keep 2m away from other patients. “If you or a member of
your household develop symptoms of the Coronavirus, such as a cough, fever or
change in sense of taste or smell, you must self-isolate immediately and book a
free Coronavirus test at www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. “Helpful advice and
support is available via the NHS COVID-19 app. As well as providing
alerts if you have been in contact with someone with Coronavirus, the app will
also tell you the current risk level in your area.
“Information about the
symptoms of Coronavirus is available on the Public Health Wales website, or via
the NHS 111 Wales symptom checker. Datganiad: Dydd Lau 3 Rhagfyr 2020 Dywedodd
Dr Robin Howe, Cyfarwyddwr Digwyddiad ar gyfer yr
ymateb i'r achos o'r Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) yn Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru: “Mae Asiantaeth Rheoleiddio Meddyginiaethau a Chynhyrchion Gofal Iechyd
(MHRA) bellach wedi awdurdodi'r brechlyn COVID-19 cyntaf fel un diogel ac
effeithiol ar sail adolygiad arbenigol annibynnol manwl o dystiolaeth o
dreialon clinigol ar raddfa fawr. “Brechlyn Pfizer BioNTech yw’r cyntaf i gael ei gymeradwyo gan MHRA yn y
DU a bydd 40 miliwn dos o’r brechlyn ar gael i’w dosbarthu ledled y DU cyn bo
hir. Bydd Cymru’n cael ei dyraniad yn seiliedig ar ei phoblogaeth. “Mae hyn yn newyddion i’w groesawu, fodd bynnag, efallai na fydd
effeithiau’r brechlyn yn amlwg yn genedlaethol am fisoedd lawer ac mae’n hynod
bwysig bod pawb yn parhau i ddilyn y cyngor ar gadw Cymru’n ddiogel; dod i
gysylltiad â phobl eraill cyn lleied ag y gallwch, cadw pellter 2 fetr oddi
wrth bobl eraill, golchi dwylo'n rheolaidd, gwisgo gorchudd wyneb lle bo angen,
a hunanynysu pan ofynnir ichi wneud hynny. “Erbyn hyn, mae’r data yn ei gwneud hi’n amlwg bod achosion o’r Coronafeirws
ar gynnydd yn y rhan fwyaf o Gymru, gan wyrdroi’r duedd i’r ffigurau ostwng yr
oeddem wedi’i gweld o ganlyniad i’r cyfnod atal dros dro. “Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyflwyno cyfyngiadau ar gyfer y sector
lletygarwch o ddydd Gwener 4 Rhagfyr cyn cyfnod y Nadolig, er mwyn lleihau’r
cyfleoedd i’r feirws ledaenu yn ein cymunedau ac i gadw pobl yn ddiogel. “Bydd angen i dafarndai, bwytai, bariau a chaffis gau am 6pm ar wahân i
wasanaethau tecawê, ac ni fyddant yn gallu gweini alcohol. “Rhaid i leoliadau adloniant dan do fel sinemâu, neuaddau bingo,
canolfannau chwarae meddal ac alïau bowlio gau o'r un dyddiad, yn yr un modd ag
atyniadau ymwelwyr dan do fel amgueddfeydd, orielau a safleoedd treftadaeth. “Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn annog pawb yn gryf i ddilyn y rheolau
hyn, i osgoi trosglwyddo Coronafeirws ac i ddiogelu pawb yn ein cymunedau, gan
gynnwys y rhai mwyaf agored i niwed. “Oherwydd niferoedd uchel o achosion positif yn Nhorfaen, mae Bwrdd
Iechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan yn gweithredu nifer o unedau profi COVID-19 symudol ledled Torfaen. Bydd yr unedau symudol yn darparu gwasanaeth
profi galw i mewn i breswylwyr sy'n byw gerllaw, a gellir dod o hyd i ragor o
fanylion ar sianeli cyfryngau cymdeithasol Cyngor Torfaen a BIPAB. “Dylai trigolion Torfaen,
hyd yn oed os ydynt yn profi symptomau ysgafn coronafeirws - twymyn, peswch
parhaus neu golli synnwyr blasu neu arogli - neu sy’n teimlo’n sâl yn
gyffredinol, ffonio 0300 30 31 222 neu dylent ymweld ag https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test i archebu prawf. “Mae cyfnod y Nadolig yn bwysig i bobl ledled Cymru sydd eisiau treulio
amser gyda’u hanwyliaid yn ystod y gwyliau, yn enwedig ar ôl blwyddyn anodd
iawn, ond byddem yn atgoffa pawb bod yn rhaid i bob un ohonom barhau i gymryd
cyfrifoldeb personol i gyfyngu ar ledaeniad y feirws ac i amddiffyn ein
hanwyliaid, yn enwedig os ydyn nhw'n agored i niwed neu'n eithriadol o agored i
niwed. I lawer o bobl, bydd hyn yn
golygu nad yw’n bosibl dathlu’r Nadolig yn y ffordd y byddech chi fel arfer yn
ei wneud. “Mae Iechyd
Cyhoeddus Cymru yn annog pawb sy’n byw, yn gweithio neu’n astudio ym Merthyr
Tudful i fynychu’r gwasanaeth profi torfol yn y ganolfan hamdden cyn gynted ag
y gallant - hyd yn oed os nad oes symptomau ganddynt. “Diolch i’r rhai
sydd eisoes wedi mynychu ac wedi cael prawf. Bydd hyn yn ein helpu i dorri’r
cadwyni trosglwyddo yn yr ardal. Fodd
bynnag, er mwyn i'r ymarfer fod mor llwyddiannus â phosibl, mae angen i ni brofi
cynifer o bobl yr ardal â phosib. “I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am yr ymarfer profi, ewch i wefan
MTCBC. “Gall unrhyw un dros 11 oed sydd heb unrhyw symptomau gael prawf, ond
bydd angen caniatâd rhiant ar blant dan 18 oed. Po fwyaf o bobl sy'n cael eu
profi, po fwyaf y siawns sydd gennym o leihau lledaeniad y feirws. “Gall pobl sydd â symptomau gael
eu profi hefyd, ond bydd angen iddynt archebu prawf naill ai drwy ffonio 119
neu drwy
glicio yma. “Rydym yn deall y bydd pobl eisiau gwneud eu siopa Nadolig yr adeg hon
o’r flwyddyn. Byddem yn awgrymu ceisio ymweld â siopau yn ystod amseroedd y tu
allan i'r oriau brig, cadw pellter cymdeithasol bob amser a gwisgo gorchudd
wyneb, os gallwch chi. Efallai y bydd opsiynau megis ‘clicio a chasglu’ neu
brynu ar-lein hefyd yn bethau i’w hystyried. “Gofynnwn i’r cyhoedd gadw at y rheoliadau a chyfyngu ar eu cyswllt â
phobl eraill gymaint â phosibl fel ein bod i gyd yn gweithio gyda’n gilydd i
leihau nifer yr achosion positif. “Mae hyn yn golygu aros allan o gartrefi pobl eraill, cyfyngu ar faint o
weithiau a nifer y bobl rydych chi'n cwrdd â nhw, cynnal pellter cymdeithasol a
hylendid dwylo, gweithio gartref os gallwch chi, a hunanynysu os oes gennych
chi symptomau coronafeirws, neu os gofynnir i chi wneud hynny gan swyddogion
olrhain cysylltiadau. “Bydd yr holl gamau hyn yn helpu i dorri cadwyni trosglwyddo, yn lleihau
lledaeniad y feirws, ac yn cadw pobl yn ddiogel. “Cymerwyd camau yn dilyn adroddiadau gan awdurdodau iechyd yn Nenmarc y
canfuwyd brigiadau eang o achosion o Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) mewn
ffermydd minc, a bod feirws amrywiolyn minc yn cael ei ledaenu i'r gymuned leol
yn sgil hynny. “Fel mesur rhagofalus, tynnwyd Denmarc oddi ar restr coridor teithio
Coronafeirws y DU ddydd Gwener 6 Tachwedd. Bellach, bydd gofyn i unrhyw
deithwyr sy'n dychwelyd i'r DU hunanynysu am 14 diwrnod yn unol â’r canllawiau
a'r ddeddfwriaeth genedlaethol https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/self-isolating-when-you-arrive. “Byddem hefyd yn cynghori pob aelod o’r cyhoedd sy’n cadw mincod neu
ffuredau fel anifeiliaid anwes i osgoi dod i gysylltiad â nhw tra bod ganddynt
unrhyw symptomau COVID. “Rydym yn cydnabod y gallai llawer o bobl fod yn cael bywyd yn fwy
heriol, a all arwain at anawsterau iechyd meddwl. Mae llawer o asiantaethau
sy'n darparu help a chymorth, gan gynnwys
llinell gymorth C.A.L.L. ar 0800 132 737, a fydd yn cyfeirio galwyr at y
sefydliad mwyaf priodol yn unol â'u hanghenion. “Os ydych chi’n wynebu trallod meddwl difrifol, neu os ydych yn meddwl
am gyflawni hunanladdiad, cysylltwch â Samariaid Cymru yn rhad ac am ddim ar
116 123. Os oes angen rhywfaint o help arnoch, neu os ydych chi'n poeni am
anwyliaid, gallwch ddod o hyd i ffynonellau cyngor ac arweiniad hefyd ar ein gwefan. “Mae GIG Cymru yma o hyd i'ch helpu os oes angen gofal arnoch, ac mae'n
bwysig i chi barhau i fynychu apwyntiadau a cheisio cymorth ar gyfer materion
meddygol brys. Dylech ffonio ymlaen llaw a dilyn unrhyw ganllawiau mae eich
practis meddyg teulu lleol, deintydd, optometrydd neu wasanaeth iechyd wedi'i
roi ar waith i'ch diogelu chi a staff, gan gynnwys yr angen i gadw 2m i ffwrdd
oddi wrth gleifion eraill. “Os byddwch chi neu aelod o'ch aelwyd yn datblygu symptomau
Coronafeirws, fel peswch, twymyn neu newid i synnwyr blasu neu arogli, rhaid i
chi hunanynysu ar unwaith ac archebu prawf Coronafeirws am ddim yn www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test neu drwy ffonio 119. “Mae cyngor a chymorth defnyddiol ar gael trwy ap COVID-19 y GIG.
Yn ogystal â darparu rhybuddion os ydych wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â rhywun â
Coronafeirws, bydd yr ap hefyd yn dweud
wrthych beth yw lefel gyfredol y risg yn eich ardal.
“Mae gwybodaeth am symptomau Coronafeirws ar gael ar wefan Iechyd
Cyhoeddus Cymru, neu drwy wiriwr symptomau GIG 111 Cymru.and are open for
an additional day today. More locations across Torfaen and dates for the next
two weeks will be announced in the coming days.