How latest changes to pandemic rules will affect Bridgend County Borough
Poster information
Posted on: Friday 30 July 2021
Welsh Government has confirmed that from Saturday 7 August, adults who have been fully vaccinated will no longer have to self-isolate if they are advised by the Test, Trace and Protect service that they have been in close contact with someone who has coronavirus.
Children and young people under 18 will also be exempt from the need to self-isolate if they are contacted, and the service will instead use the Welsh Immunisation Service to ‘warn and inform’ eligible people and provide them with advice and guidance on how to protect themselves and stay safe.
Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus or has symptoms will still need to self-isolate for 10 days, whether they have been vaccinated or not.
Additional safeguards such as risk assessments and daily lateral flow tests will be place for health and social care staff and others who work with vulnerable people.
Members of the public will be strongly advised not to visit hospitals and care homes for 10 days, and everyone identified as a contact of a positive case will continue to be advised to have a PCR test on day two and day eight.
Council Leader Huw David said: “These changes will begin on 7 August and if the public health situation is favourable, they could also coincide with a move into Alert Level Zero.
“The biggest impact will, of course, be the removal of pressure on vital services which have been dealing with sudden shortfalls in staff caused by people having to self-isolate, largely due to the 800 per cent increase in cases of Covid-19 which has been driven by the delta variant over the last few months.
“These changes are possible only because more than 91,200 local residents and almost 80 per cent of the entire Welsh population are now fully vaccinated, and it remains absolutely essential for people to continue to participate with the vaccination programme.
“Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board also recently confirmed that an additional mobile testing facility has been made available in Bridgend County Borough.
“This has been based at Nantymoel Primary School in Gwendoline Street (CF32 7PL) and is available between 9am-4pm every day for walk-in appointments with no prior booking required.
“At the same time, a drive-through testing unit is available at the site of the former Revlon or Cosi factory at Oakwood Drive in Maesteg (CF34 9TS) where it is operating between 9am-6pm, and a walk-through testing centre is also available at the Bowls Hall car park in Angel Street, Bridgend (CF31 4AH) between 2pm-8pm.
“To use either of the sites, you must book an appointment by visiting the Welsh Government website or by calling 119. If you have hearing or speech difficulties, you can call 18001119 to arrange an appointment.
“You can also collect lateral flow tests for home use from the Bowls Hall car park facility between 8am-1pm, seven days a week, and many pharmacies are also offering free lateral flow self-test kits.
“Mobile testing forms another important part of our efforts to combat Covid-19 and these arrangements are being constantly reviewed, so look out for further announcements soon.”