Adam Price

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MS Adam Price has welcomed the changes to the vaccination policy, as announced by Hywel Dda Health Board this week. There are two key changes in the vaccination policy that have been implemented this week:Funeral Directors Welsh Government has advised that Funeral Directors now fall into the Priority 2 category.   Care Homes Previously, Red Care Homes (those with ongoing outbreaks) would not be vaccinated. The reason for this was If someone had been exposed to COVID, the vaccine would not stop them from developing symptoms. This could cause confusion regarding whether symptoms post vaccination are due to the vaccine or due to COVID, which could in turn cause delays to diagnosis. However, the position has changed, and from the end of last week people can be vaccinated in Red Care Homes, provided the residents have had an appropriate risk assessment and where there is cohorting in place to ensure that they vaccinating patients who are not part of an outbreak. The Health Board’s vaccination team is working with GPs to undertake these risk assessments and ensure that as many residents in Care Homes are vaccinated as quickly as possible.

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Member of the Senedd Adam Price has today warned of the possibilities of a “vaccine postcode lottery” unless distribution of the vaccine in Wales was accelerated. The Pfizer and Oxford vaccines are being distributed in Wales currently, in line with the strategy of the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation. Prioritisation for the vaccine is as follows: Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers All those 80 years of age and over, and health and social care workers All those 75 years of age and over All those 70 years of age and over, and individuals deemed clinically extremely vulnerable All those 65 years of age and over Adults aged 18 to 64 years with underlying health conditionswhich put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality All those 60 years of age and over All those 55 years of age and over All those 50 years of age and over   However, the local Senedd Member reported that many people were contacting the constituency office to communicate concerns around the rollout of the vaccine.

Adam Price, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, has welcomed progress on a flood risk management scheme that would reduce the flood risk from the rivers Loughor, Las and Marlas, in Ammanford.   This comes after National Resources Wales (NRW) gave notification of their intention to submit a full application to Carmarthenshire County Council for the construction of the scheme, which would comprise:“Construction of 9no. flood defences (concrete walls and earth bunds) along the banks of the River Loughor and landscape planting within existing open space, with associated works comprising fish passage and gauging improvement at the Tir-Y-Dail Weir, anda  flow deflector in the river channel at the Bonllwyn A483 road bridge. “

Plaid Cymru MS Adam Price has described the news that Debenhams are set to close all their 124 UK stores as 'devastating news for Carmarthen.'   Adam Price said:    “This news underlines the dangers facing our high streets, as many businesses struggle to survive through the Covid-19 crisis and the public health measures which limit capacity and demand. The prospect of losing an anchor store like Debenhams is a major blow to any town, but the closure of the Carmarthen store would be felt doubly hard as it occupies a central position on St Catherine’s Walk. Its closure would leave a huge hole to fill in the town centre, as it is one of the largest shops in that area of town.

Hospitality should be able to ‘hibernate’ over winter with higher financial support, Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS has said.   Mr Price was speaking ahead of the announcement expected from Welsh Government on new restrictions on hospitality.   The Plaid Cymru Leader said the Welsh Government must introduce ‘targeted support’ for Welsh business to allow them to ‘effectively hibernate’ over winter. Mr Price said that the ‘crippling uncertainty’ that comes with locking and unlocking was doing ‘untold damage’ to the hospitality industry.   Mr Price called for the support to be focused on Welsh-based firms rather than UK corporates and repeated the party’s calls for a mass testing programme and increasing financial support to those who have to self-isolate to £800.   On Friday, First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed new restrictions on the hospitality and entertainment sectors and conceded it may have been a mistake not to impose stricter curbs following the “firebreak” lockdown. Specific details are expected today.