- Pubs and restaurants reopen
- English lockdown announcement raises new questions
- For the two week period that follows November 9, the national rules will be implemented across Wales
MARK DRAKEFORD today confirmed Wales will exit the ‘fire break’ lockdown on November 9.
The First Minister relayed the Welsh Government’s decision during a press conference at lunchtime on Monday, November 2.
Mr Drakeford said the unexpected announcement of an English lockdown on Saturday meant the Welsh Government had to take account of what Boris Johnson’s decision means for Wales.
Ian Price, CBI Wales Director, said: “Firms under severe strain will be relieved. For those in the hard-hit hospitality sector, the next step is to get clear guidance on how businesses can re-open again as swiftly and easily as possible.
“The First Minister has placed great emphasis on personal compliance and changing individual behaviours as we continue to live with the pandemic. Having already invested significant sums in making workplaces safe for staff and customers, business stands ready to play its part in making that a success.”
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS LIFTED
When he announced the end of travel restrictions within Wales, the First Minister said that no travel could take place from Wales to England unless it was essential or had a reasonable excuse.
He also emphasised that the Welsh Government relied on people in Wales limiting their travel to essential journeys only.
Steps would be taken, Mr Drakeford said, to stop people from England coming to Wales to avoid the English lockdown.
Existing travel restrictions to curtail travel from England to Wales enforced by Welsh Government laws would be mirrored over the English border during the month-long lockdown there, Mark Drakeford explained.
Welsh travel restrictions end on November 9. English restrictions on travel come in on Thursday, November 5.
The overlap between the two periods should – both governments hope – prevent any efforts to ‘break’ the lockdown by trying to get around the rules.
DON’T LOOK TO BEND THE RULES
The First Minister emphasised ending the lockdown and making sure a further lockdown was unnecessary largely boiled down to people abiding by the spirit of the restrictions which would follow its lifting.
He warned against people trying to find ways of getting around the restrictions and said people should do the minimum to keep themselves and others safe from potential harm.
Mark Drakeford emphasised that a great deal of responsibility rested upon individuals’ preparedness to avoid selfish and self-serving actions.
He said: “Rather than us asking what we can or can’t do, we need to ask ourselves what should we be doing to keep our families safe.
“Government rules and regulations are here to help. But the real strength we have is in the choices we make and the actions we take together.
BACK TO WORK
Mr Drakeford said all businesses forced to close throughout the firebreak lockdown could reopen on November 9.
He encouraged as many workers as possible to continue to work from home.
Because of the English lockdown announcement, the Welsh Government will continue to consider what arrangements will be made for hospitality and tourism businesses, although he said they would also be allowed to reopen.
A formal announcement in respect of hospitality businesses will be made as soon as the Welsh Cabinet have a chance to unpick the impact of the English announcement on hospitality businesses near the border.
Mark Drakeford said the decision was complicated because of the length of Wales’ ‘porous border’ with England.
He wanted to avoid using Police resources to control breaches of English travel restrictions to use pubs, hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities on the Welsh side of the border.
All Schools and places of worship in Wales will reopen next Monday.
CARE HOMES
Mr Drakeford accepted that visits to relatives in care homes were important to the well-being of homes’ residents.
He expressed hope that a new rapid-response test, would allow visits to take place.
The First Minister said one new test being trialled in Wales could provide test results within half an hour.
He suggested that test’s administration, at a drive-through centre (for example), before a planned visit would allow visits to relatives in care homes to go ahead, depending on each home’s policy on visits.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Mr Drakeford recognised the strain lockdown put on families in Wales and announced a relaxation of restrictions on meeting with other members of your own family.
People should only meet with their ‘bubble’ in their own home and only two households will be able to form a ‘bubble’.
If one person from either household develops symptoms, everyone should immediately self-isolate
Up to 15 people can take part in an organised indoors activity and up to 30 in an organised activity outdoors, providing all social distancing, hand hygiene and other COVID safety measures are followed.
With schools returning from next Monday, young people will be able to meet with their friends in school but not within each others’ homes unless they are part of the same two-household ‘bubble’.
