The Leader wished to share a brief update on matters relating to the pandemic.

Members will have noted the fantastic news yesterday that more than a million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have now been administered across Wales.

In the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area, more than 160,000 people have now received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine throughout the region.

For Bridgend County Borough, this breaks down as more than 46,000 residents.

The health board remains optimistic that it will have delivered one or more doses of the vaccine to the 120,000 residents within priority group’s five to nine by mid-April.

To support this, a referral form was published earlier this week at the Welsh Government website which unpaid carers can use to apply for an appointment.

To recap where we are with the rollout of the vaccination, all residents and staff within care homes have been offered their first dose of the vaccine, and mobile vaccination teams are currently revisiting the homes to offer a second dose.

People aged 80 and over have received their first dose via their local GP, and are being contacted to come back for their second dose.

Frontline health workers have received their first dose at hospital vaccination centres, and second doses are currently underway.

Frontline social care workers have also received their first dose, this time at community vaccination centres, and their second dose is being arranged.

People aged 75 and over have received their first dose via GP surgeries, and are being contacted with details of the second dose.

People aged 70 and over have attended community vaccination centres and are receiving details about their appointments for the second dose.

People who received shielding letters have had their first dose, and GP surgeries are contacting them to arrange their second dose.

People aged 65 and over are currently being vaccinated with their first dose through local GP surgeries, and this is ongoing.

GPs have started contacting people aged 16 to 64 who have underlying health conditions to arrange for their first dose of the vaccine.

Letters will soon be issued inviting people aged 60 and over to attend a community vaccination centre for their first dose.

This will be followed with letters to people aged 55 and over, and then people aged 50 and over. Both of these groups will be asked to attend community vaccination centres.

As he earlier, unpaid carers have been asked to submit a form at the Welsh Government website to arrange an appointment for their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

Younger adults with learning disabilities, including those in care homes and supported living settings, are also being vaccinated as part of priority group six.

People with learning disabilities living in registered care homes are being vaccinated by the mobile testing teams, and adults with learning disabilities living in supported living will either be vaccinated in their home or at their local GP practice, whichever best suits the individual.

Elsewhere, the community testing work was ongoing across the Cwm Taf region.

As one in three people are believed to be asymptomatic, this is designed to locate and identify individuals aged 11 and older, who may not even know that they have coronavirus, and could be spreading it to family, friends, colleagues and more.

The first week of the initiative has been highly successful, and saw more than 500 people attend a community testing centre which was set up at Kenfig Hill Rugby and Football Club.

This resulted in 505 negative results, a single void result, and one positive result.

The centre will move on to Pencoed Social Club between Wednesday 10th March and Tuesday 16th March, Tondu Cricket Club from Wednesday 17th March until Tuesday 23rd March, and the Caerau Athletic Social Club between Wednesday 24th to Wednesday 31st March.

Overall, the community testing will focus on specific areas within the county borough - namely Caerau, Nantyffyllon, Pyle, Kenfig Hill, Cornelly, Cefn Cribwr, Sarn, Aberkenfig, Coytrahen, Ynysawdre, Bryncethin, Bryncoch, Pencoed, Hendre, Felindre and Heol-Y-Cyw.

This is because the testing areas have been selected using public health surveillance data.

Lateral flow testing will also be taking place within local schools and the Bridge Alternative Provision, again in line with Welsh Government requirements.

This will seek to prevent the likelihood of clusters and outbreaks, and the disruption to education and care that inevitably follows.

As always, anyone seeking up to date details of where mobile testing facilities are located within the county borough can find out by visiting the council website, which is being regularly updated.

Our plans to mark the one year anniversary of the start of the pandemic are ongoing, and expectations are high that a number of changes will be announced when Welsh Government conducts its next scheduled review of lockdown procedures.

In the meantime advised the Leader, we must all continue to follow the rules and guidance, and keep making every effort to keep our communities safe and well.