Covid in Wales: Mark Drakeford to ease Wales’ restrictionson January 14, 2022 at 6:03 am

Welsh Covid restrictions on large events and businesses brought in to tackle the Omicron variant will be scrapped in two weeks under new plans.

It follows mounting pressure from opposition parties demanding an exit plan, and falling case numbers.

Rules limiting outdoor activities will be lifted first.

The Welsh government said the success of the booster campaign meant it was able to lift restrictions, with 1.8 million having received an extra dose.

The Welsh Conservatives accused the Welsh Labour government of having overreacted to Omicron after tighter restrictions were brought in on 26 December.

Both the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru have called for a roadmap out of restrictions, while the Welsh Rugby Union had been considering moving home fixtures for the Six Nations out of Wales.

First Minister Mark Drakeford will announce the details of the plan, following the latest review of Covid rules, at a press conference at Friday lunchtime.

However, the Welsh government said the move to ease measures would depend on the public health situation continuing to improve.

Under the rules, sports fixtures were forced behind closed doors without spectators, and volunteer Parkrun events were cancelled.

Scotland plans to scrap its restrictions on sports crowds from Monday.

Meanwhile Wales’ case rate has fallen to its lowest level since 27 December – 1,492.4 per 100,000 people over seven days.

Although testing policy has changed – with some who test positive on lateral flow devices no longer requiring PCR tests – the depth of the fall cannot be fully explained by that.

The number of people in critical care with Covid also stands at 20% of the level seen at the same point in January 2021.

The Welsh government imposed restrictions on large events and businesses in December following large increases in Covid cases in the UK, caused by the Omicron variant.

Nightclubs were closed, and the rules meant events were limited to a maximum of 50 people outdoors and 30 people indoors.

Pubs and restaurants were restricted to table service, with the rule of six in place, while workplaces and shops were required to impose social distancing measures.

The rules were in contrast to England, where UK government ministers chose not to impose further restrictions beyond Plan B despite health officials urging caution during the Christmas break.

Mr Drakeford will set out plans to move from alert level two to alert level zero by the end of the month, which would allow nightclubs to reopen and would see social distancing in businesses scrapped.

Under Wales’ previous alert level zero rules, all businesses were allowed to open to the public with no restrictions on numbers at events.

Mask wearing laws remained in place in most public spaces including shops, and the government continued to advise people to work from home.

Covid passes were also required in nightclubs, cinemas and theatres.

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies said: “I’m pleased they’ve finally listened to calls from the Welsh Conservatives.

“Despite the detailed scientific evidence from South Africa, Labour ministers clearly overreacted to Omicron, and that has caused significant pain and anguish for families and businesses in Wales.

“The British booster campaign has been a resounding success and as such Labour should now move swiftly and remove restrictions as we get on the road to recovery and as a nation learn to live with Covid.”

The move comes despite Mr Drakeford saying last Tuesday that Wales was “in the teeth of the Omicron storm”.

Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “If, as it seems, we are indeed at the peak, the right thing to do is see how we can safely respond.

“Raising the limit on outdoor sporting events would be an obvious place to start, moving as swiftly as the continuing improved picture allows in coming days, to lifting other restrictions such as those in hospitality.”

Wales has now reached 81% of those eligible for boosters in the Covid vaccination programme, according to the latest figures from Public Health Wales.

A total of 1,810,977 boosters were given out by 13 January.