The Numbers that Matter...: The long road to Vaccination Place SA15...

Start of the first week of January 2021 and life at the moment for many in Wales and the rest of the UK is a journey of uncertainty, questions are raised by every household of where we go or end up from here. Another 56 deaths reported by Public Health Wales today.

Each of Wales' seven health boards reported at least one death, with 21 reported by Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Cardiff and Vale reported 10 deaths, 9 were reported by Hywel Dda, 8 by Aneurin Bevan and 6by Swansea Bay. Betsi Cadwaladr and Powys each reported 1 death each.

Still unsure of employment, many providing the next meal on the table by relying on the good grace of the food banks supplying the essentials for everyday sustenance and the volunteers that make a great deal of the support materialise and more praise for the professionalism of the NHS staff and all key workers to maintain the care and assistance to those that have been affected and to maintain the diligence in care for the vulnerable.

The debate goes on about whether schools should open or stay closed. The support for closure is widespread and the thoughts of all school staff are following the “how safe is it” line. Unions representing teachers and heads in Wales have called for classroom teaching to be suspended in response to the new coronavirus strain that is spreading more quickly. With a rise in Covid cases, teaching unions in England have told primary school staff it is unsafe to return to work.

Schools in Wales are being given a flexible approach to ensure a "safe return", according to Mark Drakeford; he said experts would be "looking at all the evidence again early next week". He was responding to calls by teaching unions in Wales to suspend face to face teaching in response to the new coronavirus variant.

We will survive this pandemic by following our instincts and the leaders that care for the many, the ones that bow to and chase after the few will never find redemption and respect, it will be a road for them without no destination.

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

Today's update from Public Health Wales...