Here are the headlines for Monday, December 20 as First Minister Mark Drakeford meets with fellow Welsh Government ministers to discuss further restrictions for Wales.
The government are expected to announce plans for sporting fixtures in Wales over the festive period amid the surge of Omicron in the UK.
These could include see limits crowd numbers or even place fixtures behind closed doors once again.
Read more: Wales 'likely to see a tsunami' of Omicron cases
The Ospreys are set to face the Dragons and Cardiff play the Scarlets in two Boxing Day derbies in the United Rugby Championship, while Cardiff City are at home to Coventry in the Championship with Swansea City away at Millwall on the same day.
The Welsh Grand National is scheduled for Chepstow racecourse on December 27, with 6,000 tickets already sold. However, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has cast a doubt over the events.
Asked about plans around sporting events with large crowds on Friday, Mr Drakeford said: "We'll make some announcements about that on Monday.
"Our Cabinet decided yesterday we needed some extra information about the way that the Omicron variant operates in the outdoors.
"We'll talk to the organisers of those big rugby derbies, the Welsh Grand National, football matches that are planned and then we'll come to some decisions on Monday as to how they can best go ahead."
On Friday, it was confirmed that new restrictions would be brought in from Monday, December 27. From then on nightclubs across the country will have to close, while extra safety measures will be put in place across other industries. A two-metre social distancing rule will be brought into effect in offices and one-way systems and physical barriers will come back into play.
As of yet, there has been no definite decision on what, if any, restrictions will be imposed specifically on the hospitality industry, but Mr Drakeford said on Friday that it was a possibility that a limit could be placed on the number of people who can meet, and that we could see a return to customers wearing masks inside pubs and restaurants.
The First Minister has said that he could not rule out imposing more restrictions post christmas, warning that ministers will asses the situation in Wales when new data on Omicron is received at the start of this week.
New measures for hospitality could be announced
Table service could return to pubs and restaurants in Wales as part of measures to tackle the spread of the Covid Omicron variant.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said the Welsh Government was considering the "full range of possibilities" for the hospitality industry, and would be making decisions in the coming week.
Speaking on the BBC's Politics Wales programme on Sunday morning, the AM for Cardiff West said the Welsh Government is the only one in the UK to have announced restrictions to come in force immediately after Christmas, with nightclubs having to close.
Acknowledging Wales was "marginally" advantaged by being a week or so behind the rest of the UK with the spread of the Omicron variant, he also described the period as "the calm before the storm" and admitted further restrictions would be considered by minsters this week.
He said: "I think the restrictions we are introducing after Christmas will help. Nightclubs will close, but it is not just nightclubs, the rules for work places, for retail are changing.
"We will be working this week on the rules about how hospitality will reopen after Christmas.
"I think it is inevitable when hospitality reopens we will need to build some extra defences into the way they operate otherwise people will not turn up there. That is the thing to remember, the reason we are doing this is for business reasons as well as health reasons."
Mr Drakeford said the government would be "looking back to the sorts of measures which we needed earlier in the pandemic", adding: "People will remember, it is not that long ago, that you went to a restaurant, your details were collected so they could be used for track and traces, that you ordered from where you sat, that you wore a mask when you moved around, not when you were eating and drinking, but if you were moving around the restaurant you used a mask when you moved around."
He also said "I'm not saying [the rule of six] isn't on the list of things we will consider but there are measures you can take before that and we will obviously be looking at the less intrusive measures first".
Uncertainty around school term despite drop in cases
Covid cases among school staff and pupils have fallen in every health authority area across Wales for the third week running.
As uncertainty about next term and the impact of Omicron continues, latest official data shows school and college Covid cases were down in what was the last week of term for some.
As face to face lessons came to an early end for some pupils, and others were told they will start next term online, Public Health Wales data to Wednesday, December 15 - when most were still in school - show schools cases had dropped.
In the six days to Wednesday, December 15, a total 2,421 Covid cases among school staff and children were reported compared to 3,662 the week before and 4,291 three weeks ago.
Most of the cases were in primary schools which reported 1,626 cases while secondaries reported 626. The remainder were in 'other' schools which includes special and independent settings.
At council level only two of Wales' 22 local authorities reported a rise in schools Covid cases. Merthyr had 55 cases to December 15, up seven on the week before while Torfaen had five more cases bringing its total to 64.
Releasing the figures PHW said they were provisional and subject to change.
It also said that cases reported by staff and pupils did not necessarily mean they were infected in school settings.
Education Minister Jeremy Miles announced last week that term would start two days later than planned for pupils to give schools time to plan for remote learning, if needed.
He said he wanted pupils back face to face by January 10 and that new mitigations would include staggered start and finish times and asking secondary pupils to test for Covid three times a week.
Some councils have responded by saying their schools will re-introduce contact bubbles and masks in lessons.
The number of cases in school settings in your area can be found here.
Omicron cases jump to new high in Wales
More than 270 people in Wales have now been diagnosed with the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Public Health Wales has announced that 91 new cases of the variant were confirmed on Sunday, bringing the total number in the country to 272.
Dr Jane Salmon, Consultant in Health Protection for Public Health Wales, said: “Public Health Wales is today (Sunday 19 December) confirming 91 new cases of Omicron variant in Wales, bringing us to a total of 272 cases.
“As we have indicated previously, a rapid increase over the coming days and weeks is expected.”
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board recorded the most new cases of the variant with 72.
The highly infectious new variant is spreading rapidly across the country, with just 30 cases announced a week ago on December 14.
Omicron is now the dominant strain in some areas of the country like London, whereas the Welsh Government say that Delta is still the primary concern in Wales in the run up to christmas.
Dr Giri Shankar, of Public Health Wales, on the BBC’s Politics Wales programme on Sunday, he said: “We appear to be a week or two behind what London, most parts of England, and Scotland are seeing.”
He said if case numbers climbed considerably it was inevitable that a percentage of those affected would need hospital treatment, adding: “Even that small proportion, in terms of its absolute number, is enough to tip the balance in the health and care system.”
Premier League football clubs set for key coronavirus crisis talks
Premier League clubs will hold crunch talks today after several games were postponed due to coronavirus.
Five games were postponed on Saturday while Leicester’s trip to Everton was also called off yesterday (Sunday), with the Foxes battling a Covid-19 outbreak.
It was reported yesterday an entire round of fixtures, most likely the games scheduled between December 28-30, could be postponed so teams can avoid playing three times between Boxing Day and January 3.
So far, the league has been considering applications for postponements on a case-by-case basis but there has been criticism over the decision process.
The timing of decisions to call off some games has also caused frustration, with Aston Villa’s clash with Burnley called off just over two hours before kick-off on Saturday.
All clubs are expected to be present at the virtual meeting for senior club representatives. It is understood further calls for managers and captains are likely to take place later in the week.
The issue of vaccination uptake among players is also expected to be discussed in a meeting likely to be dominated by Covid-19 issues. The English Football League (EFL) published figures this week stating 25 per cent of its players did not intend to get vaccinated.
The changes Mark Drakeford said he expects in supermarkets after Christmas
Rules in supermarkets are expected to tighten in Wales after Christmas as part of plans to slow the spread of Omicron.
Wales' First Minister has announced that new legal restrictions will come into force after Boxing Day, and said that elements of Alert Level Two will be introduced.
And part of those restrictions will mean a return to queuing at supermarkets, one-way systems and capacity numbers in stores.
Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme on Friday, he said: "When businesses open after Christmas, the rules will be different. We expect in supermarkets to see a return to maximum number of people in the store at any one time, one-way systems, orderly queuing systems at check outs.
"In work places, we will re-instate the two metre social distancing arrangements as part of measures . It is a step back to the sort of protections that we needed at the start of the pandemic.
"Wales is in the calm of the storm, and we need to prepare for it now."
Sara Jones, Head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, says that retailers will "strive to implement" the latest changes.
"Retailers fully appreciate the need for government to get on top of the public health situation. Shopkeepers in Wales have been playing their part, investing significantly to make stores as Covid-secure.
"Retailers will strive to implement and operationalise these latest changes, albeit they are being asked to do so during what is for many the busiest trading week of the year.
“The main change for shoppers, from 27th December, will be the requirement to maintain physical distancing in stores – which may limit the number of customers who can visit at any one time.
"Retail workers will do everything they can to manage this – but we would ask customers to show some consideration and patience as well. Until then retailers and store colleagues continue to work around the clock to maintain a safe shopping experience, so customers can have the confidence to go to their favourite shops."
UK Health Secretary warns of fresh restrictions before christmas
UK Government Health Secretary Sajid Javid has made clear that fresh Covid restrictions could be imposed before Christmas to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, with ministers set to make a decision in days.
Government insiders expect an announcement to be made early this week about whether social mixing will be curtailed before the festive period – potentially including a cap on the number of families that can meet, or even hospitality closures.
“We are assessing the situation; it’s very fast-moving,” the health secretary said on Sunday, when asked about whether new curbs could be implemented before Christmas.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it is time to be “more cautious” and did not rule out new measures before Christmas, telling BBC One’s Andrew Marr programme there are “no guarantees in this pandemic”.
He confirmed that if new rules were to be proposed, Parliament would be recalled to approve them, describing that approach as “only right and proper”.
London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan warned that if restrictions are not brought in soon the NHS could be “on the verge of collapse”, with sickness affecting workforce levels.
Advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), published at the weekend, warned there are likely already hundreds of thousands of new Omicron infections every day in England and that hospital admissions with the variant in the UK are “probably around one tenth of the true number” due to a lag in reporting.
Pressed about Sage’s advice, Javid said: “It’s a very sobering analysis, we take it very seriously.” He said he and his colleagues would be assessing the advice, but also had to take into account the wider effect of potential measures, including their economic effects.
Boris Johnson and staff pictured with wine in Downing Street garden in May 2020
Boris Johnson has been pictured with wine and cheese alongside his wife and up to 17 staff in the Downing Street garden during lockdown, raising questions over No 10’s insistence a “work meeting” was taking place, reports The Guardian.
The newspaper says the photograph was shared with the Guardian following No 10’s denial last week that there was a social event on Friday 15 May 2020 including wine, spirits and pizza inside and outside the building. Johnson’s spokesman said Downing Street staff were working in the garden in the afternoon and evening.
However, the picture raises questions over that assertion. Bottles of wine are in evidence, there is a lack of social distancing and 19 people are gathered in groups across the Downing Street terrace and lawn.
At the time social mixing between households was limited to two people, who could only meet outdoors and at a distance of at least 2 metres. In workplaces, guidance said in-person meetings should only take place if “absolutely necessary”.
The prime minister has faced a string of allegations of partying and socialising in No 10 while Covid restrictions were in place. He was forced to order a civil service inquiry, though its head stepped down on Friday over allegations of his own Christmas party.
In the new image shared with the Guardian, Boris Johnson and Carrie, who appears to be holding their newborn baby, are seen sitting around a table with a cheeseboard and wine, along with two people believed to be a civil servant and an aide. Last week No 10 said Johnson was working in the garden before retiring to his flat at 7pm.
On that day Matt Hancock, then health secretary, had given a 5pm press conference urging people to stick to the rules and not take advantage of the good weather over the May weekend to socialise in groups.
At the time schools were still shut and pubs and restaurants were closed, with strict controls on social mixing. More people had been allowed to return to their workplaces, but guidance said social distancing of 2 metres should be followed at all times and “only absolutely necessary participants should attend meetings and should maintain 2-metre separation throughout”.
In response, No 10 said Johnson and staff had been working in the garden and made no reference to the allegations of drinking alcohol and socialising. The prime minister’s official spokesperson said last week: “In the summer months Downing Street staff regularly use the garden for some meetings. On 15 May 2020 the prime minister held a series of meetings throughout the afternoon, including briefly with the then health and care secretary and his team in the garden following a press conference.
“The prime minister went to his residence shortly after 7pm. A small number of staff required to be in work remained in the Downing Street garden for part of the afternoon and evening.”
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