A SOCIAL care campaigner is calling on the Welsh Government to urgently invest in higher grade PPE to defend against the new coronavirus variant sweeping care homes.

Glyn Williams, a member of the Care Forum Wales Council, has grave concerns about the ability of the current visors and masks worn by care workers in Powys and across Wales to provide protection against the more transmissible mutant strain of the disease.

Mr Williams said a huge number of care homes were now battling infections – despite keeping the virus out for the past nine months.

“Our current PPE level is based on the evidence in March, indicating that Covid transmitted in large droplets. The recommended protection for droplet protection is a surgical mask and splash eye protection such as a visor,” said Mr Williams, who owns Gwyddfor Care Home in Bodedern, near Holyhead, which has remained Covid-free since the start of the health crisis and has recently seen all residents and staff vaccinated.

“The government advice changed a couple of months ago, telling us that Covid builds up in airborne plumes and for us to ensure that enclosed spaces have plenty of ventilation etc.

“If you walk into a smoky room with a visor and surgical mask, the smoke will get into your eyes mouth and nose. Surely, if you walk into a plume of Covid then it will similarly get into your eyes, mouth and nose.

“It’s not rocket science – if you have something more contagious, then you need to do much more to protect people.”

Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales, added: “Managers and staff are terrified of the capabilities of this new variant of the disease and deserve the highest possible protection while working in a vulnerable environment.

“It would be foolish to be anything but concerned at the dangers this new strain poses, even amidst a vaccination programme.

“It has ramped up the risk of community transmission to a whole new level with 70 per cent of new cases in North Wales being attributed to the new variant.

“Our magnificent frontline care home staff, who have battled heroically to keep their residents safe across Wales, all live in the community and therein lies the problem, especially as three quarters of those who catch it do not have any symptoms.

“We are calling on the Welsh Government to heed the warnings of its own advisors who raised the risks of airborne transmission some time ago, before this new threat emerged.

“The rate at which Covid is spreading, and aggressively attacking our cells, is deeply worrying. It is vital the government acts fast before many more lives are lost.”