Wales' First Minister has confirmed the nation will subject to a range of Coronavirus restrictions after Christmas in a bid to control the spread of "new, fast-moving, easily-transmissible omicron variant".
But there are still 10 days to go until the new restrictions come into force and Mark Drakeford has issued "strong guidance" to people to follow five simple steps to keep them and their loved ones safe over the festive period.
His message is a sobering one: the more people we socialise with in the run-up to Christmas, the more opportunities the virus has to spread. It echoes the solemn-faced Professor Chris Whitty who yesterday urged people to think seriously about who they were seeing socially over the coming days and weeks.
Read more: The Covid rules that will change in Wales after Christmas
Mr Drakeford set out his "two-phase plan" late on Thursday after a full day of meetings looking at the situation and crunching the numbers. The first phase is "issuing strong guidance" on what people can do in the run up to Christmas.
The restrictions, part of the second phase, are necessary in order to respond to the current delta variant and the fact that Omicron is expected to be the dominant form of the virus in the UK by New Year.
The new restrictions - which cover businesses and services - will come into force two days after Christmas on December 27. In the meantime, Mr Drakeford pleaded for people to do these five things:
- Get vaccinated – and if you’ve had your booster appointment, please make attending your priority.
- If you’re going out, going Christmas shopping or visiting people – flow before you go. Take a lateral flow test. If it’s positive – don’t go out.
- Meeting outdoors is better than indoors. If you’re meeting indoors make sure it’s well ventilated.
- Space out your socialising – if you’ve got events arranged, please leave at least a day between them.
- And don’t forget about social distancing, wearing a face covering and washing your hands.
He emphasised that reducing contact with others, especially when seeing older people or more vulnerable people over Christmas, will help to protect us all from the virus.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "We need a plan to keep us safe this Christmas and we need stronger measures to protect us afterwards, as we prepare for a large wave of Omicron infections. It is the most serious development in the pandemic to date.
“It is one we must take seriously. We will continue to put in place proportionate measures to protect people’s lives and livelihoods. This is a virus which thrives on human contact. Every contact we have is an opportunity for us to spread or catch the virus.”
The regulations will also be changed to include a requirement to work from home wherever possible and today the Welsh Government announced up to £60m will be made available to support businesses affected by the new restrictions.
Read more: Ministers in Wales preparing to support businesses hit by cancellations as Omicron spreads
The First Minister added: “This year a smaller Christmas is a safer Christmas. The fewer people we see, the less chance we have of catching or passing on the virus.
“Please enjoy Christmas with your nearest and dearest – and think about meeting up with wider circles of friends when the threat posed by the omicron variant has passed over.
“I also want to thank the many thousands of people who will be working this Christmas to keep us safe – especially all those who have cancelled their plans to work in the vaccination centres across Wales to increase our protection against this awful virus.”
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