The latest review of Wales' coronavirus restrictions is taking in the week beginning Monday, February 28.
The rules in Wales are set by Welsh Government, and reviews take place every three weeks. The Welsh Government's cabinet will meet a number of times during the week, hear from officials and scientists, and decide if there should be any changes. They are usually then announced on Thursday night, before the First Minister takes a press conference on Friday lunchtime. The First Minister is expected to give a press conference on Friday, March 4.
From Monday, February 28, the rules on masks will change and there will no longer be a legal requirement to wear them in all indoor places but they will be required, unless exempt, in all retail settings, on public transport, and in health and care settings.
Read more: The incredibly low numbers of Covid cases now in Welsh schools
The legal requirement to wear masks in hospitality settings has already been removed but the Welsh Government "strongly advise" people to wear them voluntarily.
What are the current rules in Wales?
Wales is currently at alert level zero meaning three things:
- Businesses, employers and other organisations must continue to undertake a specific coronavirus risk assessment and take reasonable measures to minimise exposure to, and the spread of, coronavirus.
- Everyone must follow self-isolation rules and guidance.
Adults and children over 11 must continue to wear face-coverings on public transport and in indoor public places, with the exception of hospitality settings such as restaurants, pubs, cafes, nightclubs or for solemnisation of a marriage, formation of a civil partnership or an alternative wedding ceremonies, although it is still strongly advised in these settings.
What could change?
The First Minister will be under pressure to make an announcement over self-isolation and testing since the UK Government has announced major changes to both in England.
The Welsh Government has criticised the UK Government for its announcements on changes to the rules in England saying they were premature but it will now be facing pressure to announce if it will match those, and if not how they will differ, and crucially, how they will be paid for.
Find out about coronavirus cases in your area:
What changed in England?
In his announcement on February 21, Boris Johnson immediately announced the guidance has been removed for staff and students in most education and childcare settings to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing.
Then, from February 24:
- The legal requirement to self-isolate in England was removed. Until April 1, the advice is still for people who test positive to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least five full days and then continue to follow the guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days. From April that may change again.
- Councils lost additional powers to tackle local outbreaks
- The Prime Minister also said that self-isolation support payments, national funding for practical support and the medicine delivery service will no longer be available; routine contact tracing ends, including venue check-ins on the NHS Covid-19 app
- Fully vaccinated adults and those aged under 18 who are close contacts are no longer advised to test daily for seven days and the legal requirement for close contacts who are not fully vaccinated to self-isolate will be removed.
From April 1:
- Free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England will end
- The current guidance on voluntary Covid-status certification in domestic settings and no longer recommend that certain venues use the NHS Covid Pass
- The health and safety requirement for every employer to explicitly consider Covid in their risk assessments will be removed
Self-isolation
After Mr Johnson's announcement that the legal requirement to self-isolate would be removed, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon laid out dates for changes there. She also said her government would “continue to ask those who test positive for Covid to isolate for the recommended period”.
No changes have been introduced in Wales before the latest review, meaning there will need to be an update this week.
Testing
Further changes were announced to testing. From April 1, the UK Government will no longer provide free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England.
Wales' health minister, Eluned Morgan, had already said that no changes were coming in for Wales before the review on Friday, March 4. She also said that the changes the UK Government had announced to testing could have an impact on Wales but it was too early to say. Since then, UK Government has confirmed Wales, or the other devolved nations, will not get extra money if they want to continue testing at the same rate as now. After those comments from UK Government health secretary Sajid Javid, the Welsh Government said that "appears to seriously undermine our ability to carry out universal free testing".
As of Tuesday, February 22, the Welsh Government said it was "working through the possible implications for Wales" meaning we should also expect an update from the First Minister on Friday about testing and if they plan to, or are able to, continue offering testing when the UK Government all but stops it.
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