Updated covid control plan to be published on Monday with warning Wales could move to highest restriction level after Christmas

An updated version of Wales’ covid control plan will be published next week, the First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.

The plan sets out in detail how national measures will be introduced in a more uniform and predictable way, depending on a range of indicators, including the level of the virus in Wales and the risk of infection.

It updates the approach to changing restrictions set out in Leading Wales out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Unlocking Our Society and Economy.

The plan will be published and voted on early next week.

Wales is currently at alert level three. The national measures were strengthened on December 4 in response to rapidly accelerating levels of coronavirus across Wales.

The plan sets out four alert levels – from alert level one to alert level four:

• Alert level one (low-risk) – this represents the closest to normality we are likely to have before the summer and the widespread take-up of vaccinations.
• Alert level two (medium-risk) – additional, targeted controls are put in place to maintain infection rates at lower levels. These may be complemented by more targeted local restrictions to manage specific incidents and outbreaks.
• Alert level three (high-risk) – these are the strictest package of restrictions, short of a firebreak or lockdown.
• Alert level four (very high risk) – restrictions at this level are equivalent to a lockdown and reflect the seriousness of the situation.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said that if the strengthened national measures, together with the efforts everyone is making, do not succeed in reducing the rates of coronavirus, Wales will need to move to alert level four after the five-day Christmas period. But this move is not a foregone conclusion.

He said: “This has been a truly challenging year. The impact of coronavirus on us all – on all aspects of our lives – cannot be underestimated. Like almost every country in the world, we have put restrictions in place to control the spread of this deadly virus.

“This updated plan shows how the national measures will be introduced in a more uniform way as we move through the pandemic, providing greater certainty for people and businesses.”

The updated plan has been informed by latest analysis from our scientific and medical experts and the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). It has also been informed by the experience in other parts of the UK.

He added: “The most important thing we can all do to control the spread of coronavirus is to reduce the number of people are in contact with. This virus thrives on human behaviour – whenever and wherever we come together and spend time together, the virus can be transmitted from person to person.”

The national measures will continue to be reviewed every three weeks, whatever alert level Wales is currently in.

You can watch the first minister taking today’s Welsh Government briefing, below:

Yn fyw nawr gyda’r Prif Weinidog | Live now with the First Minister https://t.co/i5Jr85txFY

— Welsh Government (@WelshGovernment) December 11, 2020