Yn yr un modd, ar gyfer pennu brigiadau o achosion, mae ein dealltwriaeth gynyddol o COVID-19 yn ein galluogi i ddeall hyd cyfnodau magu a heintusrwydd yn well. Mae hyn yn fater pwysig iawn o ystyried effaith cau cartref gofal yn sgil brigiad o achosion ar ei allu i ganiatáu derbyniadau newydd ac, yn wir, i ganiatáu ymweliadau â’r rhai sydd eisoes yn preswylio yno. Ar sail ein cyngor diweddaraf, gallwn ddweud gyda chryn hyder fod unigolion – cyhyd â bod prosesau Atal a Rheoli Heintiau wedi’u dilyn – yn annhebygol iawn o fod yn heintus 20 diwrnod ar ôl i’r achos diwethaf mewn lleoliad caeedig gael ei nodi. Felly, rwy’n bwriadu caniatáu i dimau amlddisgyblaethol, ar ôl ystyried amgylchiadau penodol cartrefi unigol, ddatgan bod brigiad drosodd ar ôl 20 diwrnod ers y prawf positif diwethaf neu ymddangosiad symptomau. Bydd y newid hwn yn y gofyniad presennol, sef 28 diwrnod, yn amodol ar rownd o brofion negatif neu bositif isel (rhif Ct ≥35) i gadarnhau’r sefyllfa ar ôl 14 diwrnod.
Similarly, for determination of outbreaks; our growing understanding of COVID-19 allows for a better understanding of the duration of incubation periods and infectivity. This is a matter of considerable importance given the impact of care home closures stemming from outbreaks on the ability to allow new admissions into homes and, indeed, to permit visitors to those already in residence. Our latest advice indicates that we can say with a high degree of confidence that – provided proper Infection Prevention and Control processes have been applied – individuals are very unlikely to still be infectious 20 days after the last case in a closed setting has been identified. I intend therefore to allow multi-disciplinary teams, having taken into account the specific circumstances of individual homes, to declare outbreaks over after 20 days have elapsed since the last positive test or manifestation of symptoms. This modification of the current 28-day requirement will be subject to a confirmatory round of negative or low positive (Ct score ≥35) tests at the 14 day point.