Wales’ chief dental officer releases guidelines, as first local lockdown commences
Wales’ chief dental officer has released guidelines, as the country’s first localised lockdown commences in Caerphilly.
Colette Bridgman issued a statement as tougher measures were enforced in Caerphilly following a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases. In the last week, more than 130 people tested positive in the county, prompting additional measures to reduce social contact to be introduced.
In the statement, Dr Bridgman reminded Welsh dental practices that Wales is currently at the amber alert level, which means that clinics must continue to satisfy a number of requirements when seeing patients. Face masks must be worn, thorough risk assessments must be carried out and social distancing measures should be in place. Dentists should allow 10 minutes for disinfecting surgeries following non-AGP (aerosol-generating procedures) treatments and 1 hour following AGPs. The fallow time can be reduced to 20 minutes in well-ventilated spaces with a minimum of 10 air changes per hour.
While Caerphilly is in lockdown, local practices are advised to prioritise urgent cases and to avoid asking patients to travel into or out of the area for routine care if it is suitable to delay the appointment.
The red alert for Wales was lifted on the 22nd June and practices have gradually introduced a wider range of services. Caerphilly is the first area in Wales to undergo a local lockdown following similar action taken in parts of England and Scotland, including Leicester, Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire and Glasgow.
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