Coronavirus Alert Level 4 - Update from the Managing Director

20 December 2020

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to provide you with an update following the First Minister’s announcement on Saturday evening that Wales would enter Level 4 restrictions from midnight, (Saturday evening/Sunday morning),  following continued rises in case numbers and a new strain of the virus which is significantly more infectious and spreads more quickly than the original one. 

I met with Welsh Government and other Leaders and Chief Executives from across Wales as well as some colleagues from the Council’s Strategic Leadership Team colleagues yesterday and will be doing so again on Monday morning to ensure that the arrangements that we have been working on for the 28^th December come in with immediate effect. We have risen to many challenges as a Council this year, and will continue to work hard to protect people in the Vale.

Information about individual services will be shared on the Council’s website and via our social media feeds.

Level 4 restrictions mean:

• We must only go out for food, education, care, exercise, health or work, if we can’t work from home
• We must only travel if essential
• We must not meet people we do not live with, either indoors or outdoors. A person living alone or a single parent can form a support bubble with one other household
• When we go out we must keep our distance, wash hands regularly and wear a face mask where required
• We must self-isolate immediately and request a test if we develop Covid symptoms

From midnight on Saturday, all non-essential retail (including close contact services, leisure, gyms, hospitality and holiday accommodation) is closed.

Welsh Government has indicated that these Level 4 rules will remain in place until coronavirus numbers fall.

There have also been important changes about arrangements over the Christmas period.

The safest way to spend Christmas is at home with our immediate family. For Christmas day only, two households will be able to join together and one other person if that person is in a single person household.  If you are joining with another household, remember to avoid close contact, open windows whenever you can and wipe surfaces regularly.

I know that these changes will not be easy, especially if people had made arrangements to spend time with loved ones over Christmas. The rules have been brought in because the situation in the Vale, and across Wales is incredibly serious. As I advised last week, the admissions to our hospitals are at similar levels to the spring and cases are rising here at a worrying rate.

It’s really important to take care of ourselves and our friends and family. There is a range of information about well-being on StaffNet+ and colleagues will be sharing more information in the coming days. I would encourage you to take a look.

I would again like to take the opportunity to thank all our staff for your tremendous efforts in working so hard in such difficult circumstances to protect our communities. As ever, I will continue to keep you updated as the situation develops. For now, we must follow these rules to keep ourselves and others safe. Thank you.

Diolch yn fawr,

Rob