Covid in Wales: Nightclubs to reopen as Omicron rules scrappedon January 28, 2022 at 6:12 am

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Social distancing measures lifted and rule of six in pubs dropped as restrictions ease in Wales.

Nightclub queue in Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Nightclubs can reopen in Wales on Friday as business restrictions brought in to tackle the Omicron variant are scrapped.

The rule of six in pubs and restaurants will be lifted, and businesses will no longer be obliged to impose social distancing rules.

The legal requirement to work from home will also end.

But mask wearing rules – scrapped in England – are staying in shops, hospitals and public transport.

Wales has passed its latest peak of Covid cases, with rates now around levels last seen in early December.

Confirming the changes, First Minister Mark Drakeford said there were “encouraging signs that cases of coronavirus may be starting to stabilise”.

But he added: “We all need to continue taking steps to stay safe – unfortunately the pandemic is not over yet.”

Nightclubs were the only businesses closed outright by the Welsh government in response to the Omicron wave.

Rules requiring licenced premises to use table service and collect contact details will be lifted, and face coverings will no longer be a legal requirement in cafes, pubs, restaurants and nightclubs.

Covid passes will remain for nightclubs, large indoor events, concert halls and cinema and theatre visits.

Meanwhile masks are still required in schools until the February half-term.

Drinkers in bar

Image source, Getty Images

People will still have to self-isolate if they catch Covid, but from Friday the minimum period required is cut from seven to five days.

The move to alert level zero – the lowest level of restrictions – came into effect at 0600 GMT on Friday.

Conservatives urged ministers to set out when the remaining coronavirus laws will be lifted.

It is the last set of rules imposed on 26 December to be lifted, after restrictions on sports and community events were eased in the weeks before.

Graphic showing restrictions on Friday
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The Welsh rules remain more stringent than the UK government’s in England.

In England rules on self-isolation are expected to end in March, and mask laws have already been scrapped.

Welsh ministers have given no indication of when remaining Covid laws could come to an end, however chief medical officer Dr Sir Frank Atherton has suggested officials may look at ending mass testing in the summer.

The next formal review of coronavirus rules will be held by Welsh Labour ministers by 10 February.

Woman wearing mask

Image source, Getty Images

Welsh Conservative health spokesman Russell George said the Welsh government “must tell the public when there will be no more alert levels in Wales.”

“As with normality in touching distance, we need dates on when we can learn to live with the virus with no further threats of lockdowns to deal with hypothetical variants”.

“This means removing harmful business restrictions, making facemasks a matter of choice and self-responsibility, and scrapping coercive, ineffective, and pointless vaccine passports that still have no proof that they work.”

Plaid Cymru health spokesperson Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “Today’s lifting of restrictions is really encouraging news and confirmation that there really is light at the end of this tunnel.

“The positive signs are there that we may be approaching an endemic phase – although we’re not there just yet. What the Welsh government must do now is get robust measures in place so we can learn to live with Covid as an endemic disease but be able to respond quickly should circumstances change.

“They must also get a plan in place to ensure that our NHS itself makes a full recovery.

“In the meantime, we must continue to push transmission downwards, through basic measures such as mask wearing, ventilation and encouraging even wider vaccine take-up. It’s been a long two years, and our thanks to all health and care workers remains heartfelt.”

Businesses will still be required to make a coronavirus risk assessment, although the specific requirement for two metre social distancing will be lifted.

So far more than 1.8m booster doses have been given in Wales, while 36,000 people have come forward to have their first dose of a Covid vaccine since the start of December.

Hospital confirmed cases
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Case rates in Wales remain sharply below the peak seen at the start of January, with the case rate standing at 508.7 per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile the daily average number of Covid patients in hospital beds fell for the 12th day in a row to 560 on Wednesday.

Official figures showed for the first time that more than half of patients with confirmed cases of Covid in hospital are being treated for other conditions.

Some 42.2% of confirmed Covid patients were being “actively treated” for it on Tuesday, while 57.8% were”incidental” Covid patients who are in hospital being treated for other conditions.

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