As of Friday January 28, almost all Covid restrictions in Wales have been lifted.
People no longer have to work from home, or stay two metres from other people. Nightclubs can reopen, and all restrictions on hospitality venues have also been lifted.
The rules still in place are:
- You must wear a mask in all public indoors venues if you're over 11, with hospitality venues exempted
- You still have to self-isolate if you test positive
- You need to use a Covid pass if attending a large event
- Businesses still need to undertake risk assessments
- School children still have to wear masks too
The next big date for Covid restrictions in Wales is now set to be February 10 when all these restrictions will be 'actively' reviewed, in the words of First Minister Mark Drakeford.
What Covid restrictions are coming up for review on February 10?
Covid Passes
Wales had been having weekly reviews, since the Omicron variant arrived. Now they have returned to three weekly rules reviews. The next review is on February 10.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has said that Covid Passes will be looked at in that review.
He told a press conference if infection rates continued to fall, that would be "an active debate" but warned that there was no certainty that the recent falls would be continued.
"We will definitely review it as part of our review on the 10th of February. So it will be on the table together with other remaining measures at alert level zero.
"Three weeks is a very long time and when you're dealing with coronavirus. If things continued to improve [and] we have seen them improve in the last week, then they would be an active debate about whether or not the Covid Pass was still a proportionate part of the measures that we would want to have in place.
"But none of us can be certain that the very rapid falls of this week will continue over the next three weeks. So we will do what we always do. We will look at the measures. We will ask for advice.
"Is the Covid Pass still a necessary and important part of our defences? If the answer is yes, we will continue with it. If the answer is things have improved to the point where it's no longer a necessary part of those measures, then we'll respond to that advice as well."
In England, the use of Covid passes was allowed to expire from 23.59pm on Wednesday, January 26.
Masks
Mask-wearing will also stay in place. Again, he said that they would consider this in the February 10 review.
We will review it on the 10th of February, because it's part of those alert level zero measures.
"The question we asked for advice on is, are those measures still necessary and proportionate given the state of the virus in Wales?And if the advice is things are so good you don't need to have them in place then we would respond to that advice."
England returned to Plan A on Thursday, January 27 meaning face coverings were no longer needed by law in indoors venues.
What about schools?
The education minister has said they will remain in schools while more data is gathered.
Speaking on Tuesday, January 25, Welsh Government coronavirus briefing Education Minister Jeremy Miles said a couple more weeks data was needed to better understand the impact of children returning to school, before any other changes were made, but the priority was to keep schools open.
He added: "Face coverings will remain in schools for the time being, just as they are required in most public places, at alert level zero.
"Public Health Wales have been clear that we need a couple more weeks of data to better understand the impact of the return to schools. As a government, we are absolutely clear that, for wellbeing and learning, it is vital that children and young people are in school. That remains our priority.
"On the 10th of February the Welsh Government will be holding our next three week review. At that point there will be a week to go before the half term break."
In England, local directors of public health are still able to recommend face coverings in communal areas only in education settings within their area, but only where the department and public health experts judge the measures to be proportionate. UK Government made it clear "this is a temporary measure".
Self-isolation rules
Wales has now agreed to the same rules as England when it comes to self-isolation. Now, if you have Covid you will be able to leave self-isolation after five full days if you have two consecutive negative lateral flow tests.
This is the one area Mark Drakeford has indicated he would need a lot of persuasion to follow England if it, as Boris Johnson has indicated he wants to, scraps self isolation altogether from March 24.
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