Most Covid rules set to be lifted in Wales on 7 Auguston July 14, 2021 at 12:07 pm

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Most Covid rules will be scrapped if coronavirus rates allow – but face mask laws will stay.

Women wearing face masks in shop

image copyrightGetty Images

Most Covid rules in Wales – but not all – are set to be scrapped from 7 August.

New Welsh government plans will see all legal limits on the number of people who can meet others end from that date.

Nightclubs could resume trading, and social-distancing laws inside will be replaced with a requirement for workplaces to assess the risk.

But face masks will still be required in most indoor public places, except in hospitality businesses, such as pubs and restaurants.

The plans depend on the state of the pandemic in Wales, and no new variants being identified.

Some rules will also be eased this Saturday – allowing for six people to meet in private homes and holiday accommodation, and with social distancing outdoors no longer required by law.

Ice rinks will be able to reopen, and the limits on numbers that can meet in public places or at events will be removed.

First Minister Mark Drakeford also confirmed that people who have been fully vaccinated will no longer need to self-isolate if they are returning from an amber list country, following decisions taken in England and Scotland.

The changes come despite rising cases of coronavirus in Wales.

But Mr Drakeford said that while he was “reasonably confident” vaccination had weakened the link between infections and serious illness, he said there was still “a risk that this third wave of the pandemic could cause real harm”.

“We are entering a new phase of the pandemic,” he said.

“Cases of the virus have risen sharply since the Delta variant emerged six weeks ago but, thanks to our fantastic vaccination programme, we are not seeing these translate into large numbers of people falling seriously ill or needing hospital treatment.”

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