Here are the coronavirus morning headlines for Wednesday, September 29, as the Welsh Government draws up plans to make it illegal to fake a lateral flow test for a mandatory coronavirus pass.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has said it would make it clear to people that falsifying negative results would put others in danger. Earlier this month, he announced plans for a Covid pass in Wales, with over 18s needing to show one of these passes to access many events and venues from October 11 in Wales. You can read about the plan here.
You will need to have an NHS pass to enter:
- Nightclubs
- Indoor, non-seated events for more than 500 people, such as concerts or conventions
- Outdoor non-seated events for more than 4,000 people
- Any setting or event with more than 10,000 people in attendance
To get a pass you will have to show you are fully vaccinated or have recently tested negative. But questions have been raised about whether the scheme will be enforceable and concerns test results could be faked.
Mr Drakeford admitted at first minister's questions in the Senedd that existing lateral flow devices "could be vulnerable to exploitation". He said the Welsh Government's regulations would make it a "criminal offence knowingly to falsify the results of a lateral flow device, to make it clear to people that to do so is to put other people directly in danger". The Senedd will vote next Tuesday whether the pass scheme will be implemented from 11 October.
First Minister 'anxious' about October peak
Mark Drakeford has also said he is "anxious" about a coronavirus peak in October.
He told the Senedd on Tuesday: "Coronavirus cases in Wales are not due to peak until into the month of October. I look at those figures every day and to me they are still a matter of considerable anxiety but our scientific advisers continue to say to us that this is what they would have expected."
The Welsh Government says it is moving at pace on plans to vaccinate under 16s, who are the age group with the highest Covid rate in Wales, and Mr Drakeford said the hope is that the numbers will "plateau and hopefully begin to reduce". See the latest infection and death figures for Wales here. See their promise on vaccinating under 15s here and read more here about the good news masked by the rocketing headline Covid rate in Wales.
Mr Drakeford was asked by Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price about the decision by Welsh Labour to cancel its plans for a conference in Llandudno in November. Mr Drakeford said: "My party took the view that against the background of that modelling it was not sensible to bring large numbers of people from all around Wales travelling together to a location where inevitably people spend lengthy periods of time in relatively crowded conditions indoors and that the risk was one that was better avoided.
Read more: Everything you need to know about coronavirus in Wales
Details of vaccine programme in Wales for 12 to 15-year-olds revealed
A coronavirus vaccine will be offered to all 12 to 15-year-olds in Wales by the end of the October half term, the Welsh Government has confirmed.
A spokesman said that first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will start to be administered to this age group from Monday, October 4, in mass vaccination centres and some schools.
It follows advice from the UK's four chief medical officers who concluded that a comprehensive rollout of the vaccine would help to reduce - but not eliminate - education disruption. They claim it will also lower the risk of public health harm from the virus which is still rampant in most Welsh communities. Under 16s have the highest Covid infection rate in Wales. See more on that here.
"We have already started to invite 12 to 15-year-olds for vaccination, and the programme for this age group starts next week," a Welsh Government spokesman said.
"This will happen at pace, with pupils invited to vaccination centres after school, in the evenings and weekends. We expect all children in this age group to have been offered a vaccine during October."
Health Minister Eluned Morgan said there would be "a blended model" of offering the vaccine, with all health boards primarily inviting this age group to vaccination centres. However, some will be done at schools where suitable.
"The strength of this model is that it is based on local knowledge and it is flexible and agile so it can change depending on the circumstances," she said.
"The vaccine is not mandatory and people can choose whether to have the vaccine or not. There will be appropriate information made available for children and young people and their parents to make up their minds about vaccination.
"Parents or guardians will be asked to give consent. I encourage parents, guardians, children and young people to discuss together whether or not to have the vaccination."
Headteachers describe chaos in schools as Covid rates rise
Headteachers have described the “chaos” as school Covid rates rise.
Whole year groups are being sent home to learn remotely again while heads also grapple with staff shortages and what they describe as the “failure” of testing and tracing when Covid cases are confirmed.
Some schools are reporting higher levels of student absence than at any previous point in the pandemic. Thousands of children have missed school for Covid-related reasons since term started a few weeks ago. You can read more about that here
Meanwhile a primary school headteacher has told two year groups not to come to school due to staff shortages caused by coronavirus self-isolation rules.
Parents of pupils in Years 1 and 2 in Gwenfô Church in Wales Primary School in Wenvoe, Vale of Glamorgan, were informed about the decision via an email from the headteacher just before 10am on Tuesday, September 28, that their children would not be able to come to school on Wednesday and Thursday.
The email said that the two classes would be sent home with links for online learning, with teachers able to be contacted via an online chat service during school hours.
One parent, who wanted to remain anonymous, has criticised the school for sending some of its youngest pupils home this week, as he believes they are unable to work well independently unlike older years.
Vitamin A nasal drops to be trialled for Covid smell loss
A new study will consider whether vitamin A can help those who have lost their sense of smell after having Covid-19.
The 12-week 'Apollo trial' will treat people who have experienced smell loss or an altered sense of smell as a result of viral infections with nasal drops containing the vitamin, the University of East Anglia (UEA) said in a statement.
The university said research from Germany had shown the potential benefit of the vitamin, and its team "will explore how this treatment works to help repair tissues in the nose damaged by viruses".
The researchers hope the study "could one day help improve the lives of millions around the world who suffer from smell loss, by returning their fifth sense".
It comes after a study by an international group of smell experts, published in the journal International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology in April, advised against using steroids to treat smell loss and instead suggested "smell training".
One of the researchers, Prof Carl Philpott from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said there was "very little evidence" steroids will help with smell loss and they have "potential side effects including fluid retention, high blood pressure, and problems with mood swings and behaviour".
Instead, the scientists recommended those who have experienced smell loss sniff at least four different odours, twice daily for several months.
Prof Philpott said the method "aims to help recovery based on neuroplasticity - the brain's ability to reorganise itself to compensate for a change or injury".
Those interested in participating in the university's vitamin A study are asked to seek a referral from their GP to the Smell and Taste Clinic at the James Paget Hospital in Norfolk's Great Yarmouth.
The study, which is being funded by the National Institute for Health Research, will begin recruiting participants in December.
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