Covid: Priority shopping slot system in Wales scrapped

Lists of people originally thought to be clinically vulnerable to coronavirus will no longer be shared

A scheme allowing supermarkets to provide priority shopping delivery slots in Wales has been scrapped.

Lists of people thought to be clinically vulnerable to coronavirus - dubbed shielders - will no longer be shared with supermarkets.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said there had been a "significant drop" in numbers using the slots.

Around 6,000 orders per week were being made, the Welsh government said.

Ms Morgan added anyone using priority slots will be moved to regular delivery arrangements.

It comes despite the current uncertainty over the Omicron variant - on Tuesday Ms Morgan said it was too early to say whether there would be restrictions over Christmas.

A similar system in England ended last summer.

The measure was part of a package to protect shielders, put in place at the start of the pandemic.

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In a statement, Ms Morgan said the numbers thought needed to take extreme caution "has been reduced significantly".

'Significant drop' in customers

She said capacity for home deliveries has increased significantly across all major food retailers "and we have seen a significant drop in the number of people on the shielding patient list who are using priority shopping slots".

"Retailers have assured us they have the capacity to meet demands as part of the normal course of business."

Ms Morgan said the list of patients will no longer be shared with other organisations, such as councils, water firms and supermarkets.

"With the exception of the small numbers of people currently using priority shopping slots, who will now be moved to regular delivery arrangements by food retailers, individuals on the shielding patient list will see no direct changes as a result of this change to data sharing," she said.