Valleys' shopkeeper welcomes end to restrictions after bleak time selling sympathy cards

Video report from Liam McConkey

A shopkeeper in the town of Mountain Ash in the Cynon Valley is welcoming the end of Covid-19 restrictions next week after having very bleak memories from the past two years.

John Morris runs the 'Bags n Bobs' shop in the town, which sells everything from socks, to greetings cards. But at the height of pandemic last year, John says there was one particular item he sold most.

"Sadly one of the biggest lines we were selling at the time were sympathy cards. Now that's sad to say. It's not a thing I wanted to do, I'd rather not sell them personally, but at the end of the day that was the situation we were in."

The Cynon Valley was particularly hit hard last year. At points, it had the highest coronavirus death rate in the UK, as the disease had a firm grip on those living in the area.

John says living through that ordeal was incredibly tough, especially when hearing about some of his regular customers who either contracted Covid-19 or lost family members to it.

At points the Cynon Valley had the highest coronavirus death rate in the UK.

When he was able to open his shop, John says he was strict at enforcing mask wearing to protect those coming in. But now he feels it's right to end the mandatory rule on mask wearing.

"As time has gone on I speak to people that haven't been in the shop for nearly two years and they say they won't come in because they won't wear masks.

"So the thing about masks coming off is a good thing, it's better than a bad thing. If the individual wants to wear a mask, by all means you wear your mask, I haven't got a problem with that."

From Monday 28th March there will be no legal requirement to wear face coverings in shops and on public transport nor to self-isolate if you test positive.

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Despite Covid restrictions reportedly coming to an end next week, infection rates are rising with 1 in 25 people now thought to be infected with the virus in Wales. However the severity of the disease seems to have subsided, with hospital and mortality rates remaining low.

With that being the case, the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has decided to hand back some of its community vaccination centres.

The Rhondda and Mountain Ash centres will soon reopen as as a leisure centre and indoor bowls facility.

Alice Lewis has been the team leader of the Mountain Ash site. She says it's a bitter sweet feeling that it's closing but she's pleased that it's able to return as an indoor bowls centre.

It's a bittersweet day for Alice Lewis who's been the team leader at the vaccination centre in Mountain Ash.

For her the job has been much more than just vaccinating people, it's also been about helping the community in all possible ways.

"Lots of people turned up who were shielding for months and hadn't been out at all, it was their first visit out of the house. There was lots of anxieties and the staff took the time to answer those questions and deal with people's anxieties.

"So it was a challenging time for staff, upsetting hearing the stories, very difficult to listen to and offer support where needed. So our role hasn't always been a vaccination process, it's been supporting people in their journey as well." 

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Over 20,000 people have been vaccinated at the Indoor Bowls Centre. Antonni Evans, the Senior Vaccination Manager, says it's been like a military operation to get people through the door to have their jabs.

"It could be a 48-hour turn around and in that 48-hour it's not only mobilising the kit we need but it's also finding the right staff - the security, the volunteers.

"And just touching on the volunteers - they're integral to this journey. We wouldn't have been able to maximise this programme in the way that we have if we didn't have those guys with us."

Antonni Evans has praised the work of volunteers to run the Mountain Ash vaccine centre, where 20,000 people have received a jab.

On its last day as a vaccination centre, the Indoor Bowls Club is virtually empty and for Antonni, it's a proud moment.

"To see it empty now, the programme has done its job. It's still continuing to do it's job with still having three centres open, looking at future drive-through clinics.

"We're still going to be looking at protecting people whether they're vulnerable, whether they're children or people who just need that extra booster."

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