Wales’ First Minister expected to announce some easing of lockdown measures today

People living in Wales will find out later today more details on the easing of coronavirus lockdown measures.

First Minister Mark Drakeford is expected to make an announcement during the daily press conference in Cardiff at 12.30pm.

As part of the emergency COVID-19 regulations –  which came into force in March – Welsh ministers are required to review the lockdown restrictions every 21 days, the latest review took place on Thursday.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the easing of more lockdown measures in England.

He said, from Monday in England, groups of up to six people from outside one household can meet outdoors in public and in private gardens, provided people who do not
live together maintain a distance of at least two metres from each other.

In Wales, Mark Drakeford is expected to announce that from Monday, people from two different households will be able meet each other outdoors.

He is expected to say: “We know people have missed seeing their families and friends over the last three months while the stay-at-home regulations have been in place.

From Monday, people from two different households in the same local area will be able to meet up outdoors.

They must continue to maintain social distancing and strict hand hygiene.

We are also asking people to stay local – by local we mean, as a general rule, not travelling more than five miles from home to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading as people begin to travel more.

There will be exceptions – for example, travelling to work, to seek care and shopping for essentials if they aren’t available locally.

Staying local will help keep Wales safe.”

Last night the First Minister published a video where he said:

“in reviewing the regulations, we have considered the latest evidence from SAGE and the advice of the Chief Medical Officer for Wales.

We have looked at how the virus is behaving in Wales, at the rate of transmission – which is known as the R rate – at the capacity in the NHS and social care and at the impact of the small changes we have made to date.

We have also looked at the impact the stay-at-home rules have had on the virus since they were introduced in March.

We know that the efforts of everyone in Wales has helped to slow the spread of coronavirus and ultimately to protect lives.

Thank you for your ongoing help and support and for all the sacrifices you have made. I know being separated from family and friends is difficult.

During this review we have been looking at how we can do this once more, in a very careful and cautious way, without increasing the risk of the virus spreading.”

Over the last few months, we’ve looked closely at how the virus is behaving in Wales, and the rate of transmission.

I know that being separated from family and friends is difficult.

Tomorrow I will be setting out the changes we will be making to the regulations in Wales. pic.twitter.com/vxi33T2K7E

— Mark Drakeford (@fmwales) May 28, 2020

The full briefing can be viewed at 12:30 PM via the Welsh Government twitter account @WelshGovernment,