English: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I would like to thank you for this opportunity to update Members about what continues to be a fast-moving and evolving public health situation. Now, much has changed since the last Senedd, since we last met to discuss coronavirus in Wales before the summer recess. Wales has been at alert level 0 for seven weeks now and, as Members will know, this means that all businesses are able to open and that we have fewer legal restrictions in place than at any time since the pandemic started 18 months ago. But there are still some important protections in place to help keep us all safe, including the requirement for all businesses and employers to carry out a risk assessment. Most of us have enjoyed this summer, meeting friends and family and holidaying in this beautiful country of ours. Coronavirus is, of course, a virus that thrives on human contact. And as we have gathered in greater numbers over the summer, cases of the virus have predictably increased. Further increases may be seen as the new term begins for schools, colleges and universities. Wales is at alert level 0, but the pandemic is clearly not yet over. Our modelling would suggest that we are approaching the peak of the third wave of the pandemic, driven by the delta variant. We now have very high rates of coronavirus in all our communities. Our modelling scenarios, which have been carefully calculated by experts at Swansea University, predict that these are likely to get worse over the next few weeks as the wave begins to peak. If the virus continues to spread at its current rate, we can expect to see around 3,200 cases confirmed every day towards the end of the month. Until now, this rise has been manageable because of our incredible vaccination programme, which has helped to weaken the link between infection and serious illness. But with the rapid spread of coronavirus in our communities, pandemic pressure on the NHS is increasing once again, and there are increasing reports that even people who've been double vaccinated are being admitted to hospital with COVID-19. At the moment, there are around 40 COVID-19 hospital admissions a day. There are just over 480 confirmed cases in hospitals across Wales - the highest number since March. Now, our modelling suggests there could be 100 new COVID-19 hospital admissions every day as the delta wave peaks. The NHS is already under intense pressure as it responds to emergency healthcare demands, and provides more planned operations and treatment. And our health and care services are already experiencing staffing pressures through a combination of annual leave, staff working in other areas, sickness and isolation. Our health and care staff are exhausted after working so hard and so intensely over the last 18 months. Now, this week there are two significant developments in relation to vaccination. Today, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has published its final advice for the autumn booster programme, and we will accept that advice that they have given. This is important in light of concerning emerging evidence about the waning effectiveness of vaccines. We will start sending out invitations from 20 September, and our NHS has worked hard to make sure it is ready to start the programme and invite those who had their vaccinations at the earliest point. At the same time, the four UK chief medical officers have been discussing and taking expert evidence about whether the vaccine should be available to 12 to 15-year-olds. They have now recommended that, due to the likely benefits of reducing educational disruption and the impact this has on children and young people's welfare and mental health, Ministers extend the offer of universal vaccination to these children. This will mean a first dose offer of Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to all children and young people aged to 12 to 15 not already covered by existing JCVI advice. Now, in considering all the advice, I agree with the CMOs that there is a benefit in offering the vaccine to 12 to 15-year-olds, and we will begin to offer vaccination appointments from next week with the aim of vaccinating all those who wish to come forward by October half term.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn ddiolch i chi am y cyfle hwn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am yr hyn sy'n parhau i fod yn sefyllfa iechyd cyhoeddus sy'n symud yn gyflym ac sy'n esblygu. Nawr, mae llawer wedi newid ers y Senedd ddiwethaf, ers i ni gyfarfod ddiwethaf i drafod y coronafeirws yng Nghymru cyn toriad yr haf. Mae Cymru wedi bod ar lefel rhybudd 0 ers saith wythnos bellach ac, fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau, mae hyn yn golygu bod pob busnes yn gallu agor a bod gennym lai o gyfyngiadau cyfreithiol ar waith nag ar unrhyw adeg ers i'r pandemig ddechrau 18 mis yn ôl. Ond mae rhai amddiffyniadau pwysig ar waith o hyd i helpu i'n cadw ni i gyd yn ddiogel, gan gynnwys y gofyniad i bob busnes a chyflogwr gynnal asesiad risg. Mae'r rhan fwyaf ohonom wedi mwynhau'r haf hwn, yn cwrdd â ffrindiau a theulu ac yn mynd ar wyliau yn ein gwlad hardd. Mae'r coronafeirws, wrth gwrs, yn feirws sy'n ffynnu ar gyswllt dynol. Ac wrth i ni ymgynnull mewn niferoedd mwy dros yr haf, mae achosion o'r feirws wedi cynyddu yn ôl y disgwyl. Gallwn weld cynnydd pellach wrth i'r tymor newydd ddechrau ar gyfer ysgolion, colegau a phrifysgolion. Mae Cymru ar lefel rhybudd 0, ond mae'n amlwg nad yw'r pandemig drosodd eto. Byddai ein modelu'n awgrymu ein bod yn nesáu at uchafbwynt trydedd don y pandemig, wedi'i ysgogi gan yr amrywiolyn delta. Erbyn hyn mae gennym gyfraddau uchel iawn o'r coronafeirws ym mhob un o'n cymunedau. Mae ein senarios modelu, sydd wedi'u cyfrifo'n ofalus gan arbenigwyr ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe, yn rhagweld bod y rhain yn debygol o waethygu dros yr wythnosau nesaf wrth i'r don ddechrau cyrraedd uchafbwynt. Os bydd y feirws yn parhau i ledaenu ar ei gyfradd bresennol, gallwn ddisgwyl gweld tua 3,200 o achosion yn cael eu cadarnhau bob dydd tua diwedd y mis. Hyd yn hyn, mae'r cynnydd hwn wedi bod dan reolaeth oherwydd ein rhaglen frechu anhygoel, sydd wedi helpu i wanhau'r cysylltiad rhwng haint a salwch difrifol. Ond gyda lledaeniad cyflym y coronafeirws yn ein cymunedau, mae pwysau'r pandemig ar y GIG yn cynyddu unwaith eto, ac mae adroddiadau cynyddol bod hyd yn oed pobl sydd wedi cael eu brechu ddwywaith yn cael eu derbyn i'r ysbyty gyda COVID-19. Ar hyn o bryd, mae tua 40 o dderbyniadau i'r ysbyty COVID-19 y diwrnod. Mae ychydig dros 480 o achosion wedi'u cadarnhau mewn ysbytai ledled Cymru - y nifer uchaf ers mis Mawrth. Nawr, mae ein modelu'n awgrymu y gallai fod 100 o dderbyniadau newydd i'r ysbyty oherwydd COVID-19 bob dydd wrth i'r don delta gyrraedd uchafbwynt. Mae'r GIG eisoes dan bwysau dwys gan ei fod yn ymateb i ofynion gofal iechyd brys, ac yn darparu mwy o lawdriniaethau a thriniaethau wedi'u cynllunio. Ac mae ein gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal eisoes yn profi pwysau staffio drwy gyfuniad o wyliau blynyddol, staff sy'n gweithio mewn meysydd eraill, salwch ac ynysu. Mae ein staff iechyd a gofal wedi blino ar ôl gweithio mor galed ac mor ddwys dros y 18 mis diwethaf. Nawr, yr wythnos hon mae dau ddatblygiad sylweddol yn gysylltiedig â brechu. Heddiw, mae'r Cyd-bwyllgor ar Imiwneiddio a Brechu wedi cyhoeddi ei gyngor terfynol ar gyfer rhaglen atgyfnerthu'r hydref, a byddwn yn derbyn y cyngor hwnnw maen nhw wedi'i roi. Mae hyn yn bwysig yng ngoleuni'r dystiolaeth sy'n dod i'r amlwg am effeithiolrwydd y brechlynnau sy'n gwanhau. Byddwn yn dechrau anfon gwahoddiadau o 20 Medi ymlaen, ac mae ein GIG wedi gweithio'n galed i sicrhau ei fod yn barod i ddechrau'r rhaglen a gwahodd y rhai a gafodd eu brechiadau gynharaf. Ar yr un pryd, mae pedwar prif swyddog meddygol y DU wedi bod yn trafod ac yn cymryd tystiolaeth arbenigol ynghylch p'un a ddylai'r brechlyn fod ar gael i bobl ifanc 12 i 15 mlwydd oed. Maen nhw bellach wedi argymell, oherwydd y manteision tebygol o leihau aflonyddwch addysgol a'r effaith mae hyn yn ei chael ar les ac iechyd meddwl plant a phobl ifanc, fod Gweinidogion yn ymestyn y cynnig o frechu cyffredinol i'r plant hyn. Bydd hyn yn golygu cynnig dos cyntaf o frechlyn COVID-19 Pfizer BioNTech i bob plentyn a pherson ifanc rhwng 12 a 15 mlwydd oed nad ydynt eisoes wedi'u cynnwys yng nghyngor presennol y JCVI. Nawr, wrth ystyried yr holl gyngor, rwy'n cytuno â'r prif swyddogion meddygol fod budd o ran cynnig y brechlyn i bobl ifanc 12 i 15 mlwydd oed, a byddwn yn dechrau cynnig apwyntiadau brechu o'r wythnos nesaf gyda'r nod o frechu pawb sy'n dymuno dod ymlaen erbyn hanner tymor mis Hydref.