First Minister to change local lockdown rules to support single parents and those living on their own

Local lockdown restrictions which came into force in Flintshire yesterday are set to be tweaked to support single parents and people living on their own, the Welsh Government has said.

The move follows concerns about the “emotional toll the virus can have on people living alone.”

Under the local lockdown measures introduced at 6pm on Thursday, people are no longer able to form, or be in, an extended household (sometimes called a “bubble”)

That means meeting indoors with anyone who is not part of your household (people you live with) is not allowed at the moment, unless you have a good reason, such as providing care to a vulnerable person.

Later today, First Minister Mark Drakeford is set to announce the outcome of the latest 21 day review of coronavirus rules in Wales.

He is “not expected to make major changes to Wales’ national coronavirus rules, as cases of the virus continue to rise.”

“However, in recognition of the emotional toll the virus can have on people living alone, the First Minister will make a change to local rules to support single parents and those living on their own in local lockdown areas.” The Welsh Government said.

Mark Drakeford told BBC Breakfast this morning: “We have more local authorities in Wales now confined in measures that are designed to reduce the spread of coronavirus in those areas.”

“People are not able to leave or enter those areas and they are only able to meet people from their own household indoors.”

“We are increasingly aware of the impact that has on adults living alone.”

“We are easing the restriction so that single adult households will be able to form an alliance with one other household from within that county area.”

“The idea is to ease some of that sense of loneliness and isolation, there’s more than one form of harm from coronavirus, and the sense of mental well being is an important thing that we can make a difference to through this change.”

More than 2. 4 million people in Wales are now living in areas with stricter lockdown rules after Flintshire Wrexham, Denbighshire and Conwy joined 12 other counties where enhanced health protection measures have been implemented.

The full details of the change will be revealed during today briefing at 12.30pm and can be viewed via the Welsh Government twitter account @WelshGovernment, or on S4C or BBC One Wales.

Local lockdown measures come into force in Flintshire – it means you cannot travel out of the county without a valid reason