Caravan owner criticised after threatening to come to Wales to ‘lick door handles’
A man has been criticised online after threatening to visit his caravan in the north of Wales to “cough on everyone I see and lick every door handle”.
The man from Greater Manchester was responding to criticism on Facebook of people deciding to self-isolate in holiday homes and caravan parks in Wales.
“I’m coming on Saturday to my caravan,” he said. “And I’m going to cough on everyone and lick every door handle.
“I an others, put £1000s every year into your local economy and I’ll use my caravan as much or as little as I like.”
The man later removed his Facebook account from public access after receiving a barrage of criticism in response to his message.
The post came after MPs and GPs voiced criticism of visitors from other parts of the UK self-isolating in rural Wales, due concerns that if the people fall ill, or bring the coronavirus with them, it will put further pressure on the already over-stretched Welsh NHS.
Treflan Surgery in Pwllheli said they had sent a letter to nearby caravan parks asking them to tell customers to avoid unnecessary travel.
“We cannot emphasise enough how concerned we are about this influx of visitors to the area over the past week and we are gravely concerned about their welfare and potential inability to access healthcare during this pandemic,” the letter said.
“Our healthcare services are already stretched beyond their limits and it is highly unlikely that the healthcare infrastructure in the Dwyfor/Gwynedd locality will be able to cope with any additional demand during the outbreak. We also must inform you that the usual Temporary Resident Service that we normally commission will be non-existent.
“We have also been advised by our pharmacy colleagues that they will not be providing a minor ailments service to any patients with respiratory symptoms.
“You should also make your customers aware that those who have travelled here on public transport may not be able to return home as services may be suspended due to staff shortages.”
‘Pressures’
Conservative Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb urged tourists to stay away from the west of Wales while the pandemic was ongoing.
“I have spent 15 years urging people to come to wonderful Pembrokeshire on holiday,” he said.
“And I will carry on doing so when we are through this thing. But right now people need to avoid travelling if possible. Local Health Board extremely concerned about extra pressures on services.”
Yesterday four MPs wrote to the UK Health Secretary asking him to place travel restrictions on people fleeing the rest of the UK to self-isolate in rural Wales.
NHS Wales has a lower number of critical care beds for the size of the population than the rest of the UK. Wales also has a higher population of over 60-year olds than the UK average.
Wales reported its third death from coronavirus today, at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.
“I am writing to express my concern about reports of a substantial increase in the population of rural areas as people seek to escape the coronavirus,” Dwyfor-Meirionydd MP Liz Saville Roberts writes in the letter.
“Such a population churn poses a risk in Wales, whose health services are under great pressure already. Wales has around five intensive care beds per 100,000 people, as opposed to the UK average of 6.6 beds per 100,000.”
The letter has also been signed by Ben Lake, MP of Ceredigion, Jonathan Edwards, MP of Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, and Hywel Williams, MP of Arfon.
Testing
Public Health Wales have announced 89 more people have tested positive for Covid-19 – bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Wales to 280. Three have died so far.
Dr Chris Williams, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “89 new cases have tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 280, although the true number of cases is likely to be higher. Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is now circulating in every part of Wales.
“Three people in Wales who tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have now died.
“We are working closely with health boards, NHS 111 and the Welsh Government to develop systems so that NHS Wales and members of the public have appropriate access to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. Based on careful risk assessment, a phased rollout of testing will commence starting with health care workers involved in frontline patient-facing clinical care.
“Testing capacity is being expanded and is currently prioritised for patients, health care workers involved in frontline patient-facing clinical care, and others where recommended by health board medical directors. As our testing capacity increases, further guidance will be issued on those who are eligible for testing.
“Members of the public should follow the latest public health advice.”
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Selfish moron. Sadly, not a rare example, plenty about.
Hopefully he will lick a door handle that’s already been infected.
I predicted that outsiders would flock to Wales once the restrictions on movement and contact started in English towns and cities. Most of them are not the type of people who would lick door handles or cough on local people, but it’s right that they be told that some health services will not be available to them. It has probably come as as shock to them to learn that local authorities do not welcome their presence in this country while the virus is around; Conwy has actually told holiday home- and caravan-owners that they must go home straight away.
We are pensioners and have. A caravan in anglesea and would not think to self isolate in it.
Nice one, Mike. Wish those clowns would follow your example.
RHOSDDU, I am absolutely shocked by your comments. Firstly, we are all of mankind. English Scottish, Welsh Irish.. You come across so anti English maybe you do not realise it. To say we had it in England first and imply we brought it to Wales is wrong, it started in China, maybe you don’t understand this virus, may I say you need to do your homework before you make comments. In effect somewhat racist I have been visiting Beautiful Wales for about 15 years, I keep it clean, I spend my money there, I live there during the summer,, I… Read more »
Of course we should all live in peace and harmony, but at the moment, to prevent the importation and spread of the virus in remote rural areas of Wales, we must live in peace and harmony from the relative safety of our own homes. It’s great that you have such fondness and appreciation for our country, but doubtless so do many of those who were indundating Snowdonia yesterday and the surrounding villages and bringing traffic to a standstill. It was nevertheless a collective act of selfishness and anti-social behaviour that did not go down well in Wales and is unlikely… Read more »
Does not the planning system have some way of stopping these people? Presumably many of them will have planning permission for their properties to use as holiday homes only, not as refuges from the virus.
I don’t think you could prove it one way or the other, Hywel, but I reckon that anyone coming to their caravan/holiday home after a lockdown has been declared would be guilty of breaking the injunction and should be reported, fined, and sent home.
“Holiday caravans are not subject to council tax although the park owner may ask the caravan owner for a contribution towards the business rates.” I am a carer for a disabled person and as such get a 25% council tax discount. I have no objection to people visiting but when they move here like these have they should pay full council tax for the full year. They would also have to stop abusing the shop staff, nicking all the bread and milk then throwing it away and they must pass a driving test for the 4X4’s they seem incapable of… Read more »
The site I have a caravan on have been paid up front £4.500 for this season as have all the other owners from the site they also have other sites.
Why would they ask peoples to contribute when they have raked in millions already this year and we can’t use our caravans, our season is only 10.5 months .
He is the kind of person who could easily turn me into a racist.
Actually, he’s the racist, so feel free to hate him. He should be named and shamed. Most virus-flighters are not as unpleasant as him, but their behaviour in bringing a virus risk to rural Wales represents extremely anti-social behaviour, and I think local people won’t forget it.
The whole issue of caravan parks and holiday homes is a cultural blight on Cymru, and a future Welsh Government is going to have to confront it somewhere down the line.
His name is Mike Highland, aka “the t**t”.
And there was I assuming his surname was Hunt.
Report from Anglesey that SE England caravan owners are ferrying their pensioner parents, complete with stocks of food, up to caravan parks and leaving them there. Not even benefit for local shops .
People have always moved to rural areas in times of the crisis; the difference with this crisis is that rural areas don’t have the specialist hospital services and hospitals that exist in urban areas so rural medical facilities won’t be able to cope. As for ‘cultural blight’ – we all have different tastes and interests – caravan sites are not my idea of a holiday but that is just a personal opinion and I know that a far greater number of people love their caravans and the freedom they offer. Other examples of ‘cultural blight’ are available and home grown… Read more »
Where are Meibion Glyndwr when you need them?
That generation of Secret Service/Special Branch operatives is almost entirely retired. The newer generation prefers to operate under assumed names on-line scribbling antagonistic stuff on sites like this.
On-Line Agent Provocateurs.
Siarad Cymraeg?
AgentProvocateur.com. They sell naughty knickers and whips. I suppose they would be essential items for spies!
Please Welsh Government, stop these arrogant self righteous knobs from entering their caravans holiday homes . They need to stay home , home is not their caravans ?? are they not listening to the news ?
I find it a little strange that we apply legal restrictions on travelling when there is a foot and mouth epidemic but a pandemic virus likely to kill thousands of people has no such effect. I suppose farm animals have a quantifiable value worth more than human life or suffering. This arrogant Manc should be prosecuted for his public behaviour. In essence he has threatened to infect a community of people, some of which could die from the virus. Presumably the whereabouts of his caravan is known, which makes his public threats all the more stupid. If his caravan were… Read more »
but Visit Wales was still running adverts to encourage people into the countryside at the time.
This is a diversion from the seriousness of the situation. 7 new deaths in Wales announced today, jumping the total to 12 Why’s no-one commenting on the slow roll-out of testing in Wales, reported by Chris Williams, COVID19 Incident Director See https://phw.nhs.wales/news/public-health-wales-statement-on-novel-coronavirus-outbreak/ for full statement. Failure till now on Testing is now tacitly admitted: “… appropriate access to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. Based on careful risk assessment, a phased rollout of testing will commence starting with health care workers involved in frontline patient facing clinical care. Testing capacity is being expanded and is currently prioritised for patients, health care workers… Read more »
Yes, we must avoid the cul de sacs, and hammer away at practical failings.
Thay need to stay where thay are we are relatively isolated here so let’s keep it that way we don’t want outsider’s coming in and putting us at greater risk besides with the panic buying we can’t cope with more people at this time
I have a static caravan. That only have 75 on the site very small park & quite & owners only should this also include us .I can understand big sites would be a problem.
I personally think it should as 75 caravans with say 3 people per. Caravan is 225 extra people and say there are 10 sites with 75 vans on them that’s 2250 extra people our nhs can’t cope with perminant residents with out having the extra we are prity isolated and would like to keep it that way sorry if this is not what u wanted to hear but that’s how it is at present
Of course you should stay away. Even one person increases the risk of putting pressure on ill equipt local service.
You lot.should be doing better in central government Cardiff to ensure Welsh.people get a better deal off the NHS how come were 3.3 beds worse off than the rest of the uk ??? Get to work. You lot ensuring the Welsh get just as good nhs as the rest of the uk!!!
Would it not be safer if the sites were closed and follow Spain’s example.
I am an 82 yr old worried if my 5th dose of chemotherapy for follicular lymphoma should or not proceed because of the coronavirus. Very high risk and am self-isolating. I cannot get a home delivery from any superstores. Where do I get a solution to this problem?
Phone the hospital where you have been receiving chemotherapy and ask them if it is still scheduled to take place. Good luck.
Fine him a big fine. Like the man on isle of white. That will teach him spend his money in the community the moron
Arrest him for threatening behaviour
What a stupid human being, How can you be proud of this country when we have citizens behaving like this. Let’s identify him/her and let the authorities deal with him/her. The scroat will say it was meant as a joke but someone with this disgusting sense of humour should be made to work on a Covid 19 ward exposing himself/herself and their loved ones to this killer virus, that might shut the scumbag up. Shame on you.