Wales to bring forward some lockdown relaxations by two weeks

22 April 2021, 22:00

The Welsh Government has confirmed further lockdown relaxations will be brought forward from May 17 to May 3.

The lifting of some Covid-19 restrictions means that activities including indoor supervised activities for children will resume, as well as indoor organised activities for up to 15 adults, and the re-opening of community centres.

This means Wales will have completed the move to Alert Level 3 by Monday May 3.

From Saturday April 24, the rule of six will allow for up to six people from six households to meet outdoors, not including children under 11 years of age or carers from those households.

The Welsh Government has also confirmed the relaxations that will take place on Monday April 26. These include outdoor attractions, such as outdoor swimming pools, funfairs and theme parks.

Other outdoor hospitality can also resume, including at cafes, pubs and restaurants.

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Organised outdoor activities for up to 30 people will be able to take place and wedding receptions can begin again outdoors for up to 30 people.

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The First Minister, Mark Drakeford, said: "The sacrifices we have made continue to show results. By us all working together and sticking to the rules, combined with our vaccination programme, mean we continue to make progress. Rates of the virus continue to fall and the public health situation is improving.

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"Due to these efforts we are able confirm more easing of the restrictions from 26 April and for early May we are again able to bring forward some of our plans. However, this progress is dependent on all of us continuing to work together to keep Wales safe.

"At the last three-week review, I set out a forward-look of how the restrictions could continue to be lifted in the weeks ahead, if the public health situation remains stable.

"It will be for the incoming Welsh Government to confirm these arrangements at the next three-week review, which will be held on May 13 – a week after the election. It is my assessment that the hospitality sector – bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes – will be able to open indoors from May 17, together with all other tourist accommodation, indoor entertainment and attractions."

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The Welsh vaccine programme continues with a higher proportion of people vaccinated in Wales than other nations of the UK for both first and second doses.

Coronavirus was not the leading cause of death in England and Wales in March for the first time since October, new figures show.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death in both countries that month, accounting for 9.2% of all fatalities registered in England and 6.3% in Wales.

The virus was the leading cause of death each month from November to February.