HEALTH minister Vaughan Gething has sought to answer some of the frequently-asked questions regarding coronavirus.

Speaking at yesterday's Welsh Government press briefing, Mr Gething said he also wanted to explain the reasoning behind the Welsh Government's strategy to control the public health crisis.

The minister said some people still doubted the seriousness of the virus, and warned that the failure to stop the spread of Covid-19 at a local level could lead to critical care units being overrun.

Here are the health minister's responses to those frequently-asked questions:

Is there really a problem?

Mr Gething said people had asked why the authorities were "making such a fuss" about Covid-19.

"Coronavirus is a new disease," he said. "Thirty-five million people have been infected worldwide and more than one million people have died.

"There are currently no drugs licensed to treat or prevent coronavirus anywhere in the world, and there is no know cure.

"We do not have a vaccine but research continues. It is highly infectious and spreads quickly... and we don't understand what the long-term impacts are.

"Many people who have recovered have ongoing problems although they've never been in a hospital - what's known as 'long covid.'"

­Don't more people die of the flu every year?

Mr Gething said: "Every year, it's true, we have a flu season, which sadly results in people dying - something that we call 'excess winter deaths'.

"That's why we encourage people who are at risk of the flu, and [those who are] NHS and care staff, to get vaccinated every winter.

"Last year about 1,900 people died of flu and pneumonia in Wales. Sadly, there have already been more than 2,500 deaths involving coronavirus.

"People continue to die from coronavirus in Wales."

­Has the threat been blown out of proportion?

Mr Gething says there are claims the number of people dying in hospital is "tiny".

He responded: "Over the last month we've seen a rapid increase in cases across Wales. The virus returned as people came back from holiday abroad, and has been spread also as people have socialised without social distancing - crucially, and most often, in people's homes.

"The majority have had a mild illness so far, but an increase in cases is followed within two-to-three weeks by the start of higher hospital admissions, higher critical care admissions, and more deaths.

"Last week, an average of 73 people a day were admitted to hospital with coronavirus. The number of people in hospital with coronavirus has almost doubled in the last fortnight.

"Sadly, the number of people who are dying is increasing week on week. It's easy to forget what things were like just six months ago, when around 150 people were admitted to hospital each day with coronavirus, and our intensive care units - including the additional capacity that the NHS created - were very close to being overrun.

"If we can't control the spread of the virus locally, we will see this happening again."

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­Why did other countries without lockdowns have lower cases than Wales?

Mr Gething said Sweden is commonly mentioned by people who ask this question.

"I understand why it's tempting to look at other countries that didn't go through the difficult months of a nationwide lockdown, but it's just not as simple as comparing the experience in Wales - or indeed the UK - with other countries," the health minister said.

"If we look at Sweden, it's home to just 10 million people and it's almost twice the size of the UK.

"There have been more than 5,000 coronavirus deaths in Sweden, compared to hundreds in its Scandinavian neighbours which introduced stricter measures."

Why can't I see my family but I can sit next to strangers in the pub?

"It's a question I often hear, and it's been put to me before," Mr Gething said.

"I do know, from my own experience, that it's very difficult for families who have been separated by the pandemic.

"But if you're going to a pub, you cannot sit with a stranger. You can only go to a pub with someone you live with or [someone who is] in the same exclusive bubble with.

"Gathering with friends sitting on another table is not an exception to that rule.

"The law is very clear about what the owner and manager of a business must do to keep everyone who uses it safe. These [laws] cover everything from maintaining social distancing and collecting people's details... to the cleaning regime which needs to be followed.

"We do not and would not put similar laws in place to regulate people's private homes in this way.

"Because so many cases of coronavirus have been linked to people gathering in each other's homes, we've put limits on who - and how many people - can meet socially indoors, at home, in the pub, and elsewhere.

"In areas under local restrictions, we've had to suspend 'bubbles' except for people that live alone or are single parents."

­Why are children still going to school when the virus is on the rise?

Mr Gething said the Welsh Government had been "very clear we want children back in school alongside their classmates".

He added: "Our schools, teachers, and local authorities have worked really hard over the summer to make that happen.

"More than eight-out-of-ten schools in Wales have not had any cases of coronavirus since the start of the autumn term.

"We'll continue to do all we can to make sure it's safe to keep children in school, because it is undoubtedly better for their long-term health and wellbeing to be in school with other pupils and their friends than to be missing out on another term of lessons."