Pembrokeshire County Council Leader David Simpson, has provided a further coronavirus update, just days before a year on from the first cases in Pembrokeshire.

Pembrokeshire has seen 3,312 cases of coronavirus as of March 6, 2021; the first cases in the county being recorded on March 8, 2020.

“It is with rather a heavy heart that I tell you that it’s almost 12 months since my first statement on the coronavirus pandemic.

“On March 9, 2020, I addressed our Cabinet meeting with the following words:

'Further to the news yesterday [March 8, 2020] that two people in Pembrokeshire had tested as positive for the Covid-19 virus, I am sure you will join me in wishing them both a speedy and full recovery.

'I can reassure you that our services will continue as usual, and all our employees can continue to attend to their work, appointments, schools and services as they normally would.

'We should all help protect ourselves and our communities by following Public Health Wales advice, particularly around washing hands and using a tissue for symptoms associated with cold and flu and then safely disposing of it.

'I am grateful to the co-operation and hard work of all of our staff and we will provide further updates and information when we have them.

'In the meantime, I can confirm that detailed planning arrangements, both internally, with partner agencies and through the Dyfed Powys Local Resilience Forum, are well underway to ensure that the council and Pembrokeshire are as well placed as possible for whatever challenges we may face. Thank you'.

“I am sure you will join me while I take a moment now to remember all those people in Pembrokeshire and further afield, who, very sadly, passed away since I made that announcement.

“I continue to be incredibly grateful, as I’m sure you are, to everyone who is helping to beat this pandemic, working so very hard now for over a year.

“We are fortunate now to be in a position where the vaccine programme is protecting older members of our community and starting to roll out among one of the biggest groups - the over 65s and those with underlying health conditions.

“Next week (March 12) the Welsh Government will have notified us of their plans for the next three weeks.

“In the meantime, we remain in Alert Level 4 and the stay at home message continues to be more important than ever as we reach the threshold of better times.

“I wish you all a good weekend and thank you once again to the vast majority of wonderful Pembrokeshire residents who are doing the right thing and waiting patiently at home for restrictions to lift.

“We do really appreciate your efforts and determination to help bring this pandemic to an end.”