Two “very minor adjustments” to lockdown rules set to be announced including one on outdoor exercise

The First Minister will today confirm alert level four lockdown restrictions will remain in place in Wales for the next three weeks.

Mark Drakeford will however give details of two “very minor adjustments” to the current lockdown rules including one on outdoor exercise.

The situation in Wales is slowly improving but lockdown restrictions “must continue for another three weeks to allow the NHS to recover.” Mr Drakeford will say during today’s briefing.

He will also indicate that the youngest learners in primary school could begin returning to school after the February half term, if rates of coronavirus continue to fall.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales ahead of this afternoon press conference Mr Drakeford said:

“There are grounds for optimism in Wales because the rates of infection here continue to fall, but the impact on “our hospitals is still very significant.”

“We can’t, I’m afraid, afford to take our foot off the pedal at this point and the current level of restrictions, other than a couple of very minor adjustments will remain in place for another three weeks.”

He said: “Provided things continue to improve, we will then be in a position to begin to see the lifting of some of the lockdown restrictions.”

Asked what the two “very minor adjustments” will be, he said: “At the moment in Wales if you have formed a bubble with another household as a single person household you can’t change that arrangement.”

“But we know that you weeks into this (lockdown) some people will have moved, some people’s relationships will have changed.”

“We’re going to allow people to dissolve the bubble they’re in at the moment and reform it with another household for it there’s a 10 day gap between the two.”

“At the moment you can’t go outside and exercise with anybody other than members of your own household.”

“We’re going to ease that very slightly by allowing you to meet one other person from one other household, provided they are living locally to you, you will be able to exercise alongside that other person.”

Mr Drakeford went on to say, you will be able to “meet a different person on different occasions, but you’ve all got to leave from your own front door and return to your own front door for exercise.”

“So we’re still talking about people living very locally.”

“It’s a very minor easement, but it will be important to some people.”

“We’ve been contacted by a number of women, saying to us that at this time of year when it’s dark and wet, then they’re nervous about going up by themselves for exercise.”

“This will allow people to take advantage of that very small step forward and we’re only able to offer that because of the way in which the position is improving now and I think that that will be good news for a lot of people.”