Wales has just lifted several key Covid restrictions giving us some of our freedoms back.
Though this is very welcome we should not forget we are still some distance away from a normality we would have recognised in February 2020. Mark Drakeford has today said that he will not be lifting all Covid restrictions on June 21 (which still remains the plan in England) and has instead indicated he will look at gradually easing restrictions, such as increasing capacity at indoor venues.
In three weeks the Welsh Government will again review the rules. Here are the restrictions and rules that remain to be lifted in Wales and what the First Minister will be looking at next.
Meeting indoors
At the moment we can only meet five other people inside a pub or restaurant. Within our own homes we can only meet people within our bubbles (which can be made up of three households). This means there is still a long way that the First Minister can go when it comes to lifting indoor restrictions. In hospitality he could increase the maximum number of people we can meet and in our homes he could increase the number of people allowed in a household bubble. Or he could simply remove the restrictions altogether, but given how risky indoor mixing is this seems unlikely in the short term.
Indoor events
Despite thousands of people now being able to attend outdoor events, if the organised activity is taking place indoors the maximum number of people aged 11 and over that can take part is 30. In two weeks, on June 21, a second review on indoor events will be carried out and this could be changed.
Social distancing and mask wearing
One key restriction that we almost take for granted now is the fundamental basics of Covid safety. Last summer there was debate around whether masks should even be introduced in shops, now it is just part of your routine when entering a building other than your home. There is also the more controversial rule around masks in schools which still applies for secondary school kids in the classroom.
Given that last summer the Welsh Government didn't want to introduce compulsory mask use because there was very little Covid around and they didn't feel it was needed, it remains to be seen if they will consider them still to be necessary if the virus remains suppressed. Social distancing is also a key change that has come in. The legal requirement to maintain social distancing is a real challenge for many businesses in terms of being viable because it can severely restrict numbers.
Overseas travel
This is one area of the rules which remains very ridged. Though travel is allowed to "green list" countries in reality there are very few of them. There are increased restrictions on amber list countries including the need to isolate. As the one of the key threats to the Covid situation is the importation of new variants, a widescale reopening of this restriction is unlikely soon.
Larger amounts outdoors
The Welsh Government has just announced that there can be up to 4,000 people non-seated and 10,000 people seated at organised outdoor events. If this is successful the next stage will be to increase this number based on the lessons learnt.
Nightclubs
Even at level one of the Welsh Government's coronavirus control plan (the very lowest level) nightclubs do not automatically reopen. The plan states that nightclubs and late night entertainment venues remain "closed except for pilot events". When WalesOnline spoke to Mark Drakeford in May he said they would not be opening until at least July.
When will this happen?
The next Covid review is in three weeks but the Welsh Government has previously acted faster if it feels the situation remains stable. Though the First Minister has ruled our a wholesale reopening on June 21 there are likely to be tweaks if the virus is under control. Once every person who wants a vaccine has had both jabs (which is likely to be in the autumn) there is likely to be more scope for a wider reopening.
