People in Wales who have a health condition that makes them vulnerable to coronavirus are to be asked to continue shielding until August 16.
The 130,000 people who are shielding in Wales will receive a letter from the Chief Medical Officer for Wales setting out the latest advice to protect them from coronavirus.
As well as detailing the new date, the letter will also describe how the medical advice has changed to enable them to go outdoors to meet other people for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Wales’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr Frank Atherton, said: “Since the start of the pandemic, we have been focused on ensuring people who are at greatest risk are protected from coronavirus.
"The spread of coronavirus is being carefully monitored – if it gets lower, it is possible those within the shielded group will be able to do more. If it gets higher, we may advise those people to stop going outside and to stay at home again.”
See live updates as Mr Atherton answers questions from the press at Thursday's Welsh Government press conference on coronavirus.
Earlier this week, the Welsh Government announced a change in advice for people who are shielding, based on a review of the evidence by the four UK chief medical officers.
From 1 June, everyone who is shielding are being advised they can leave their homes to meet people from another household outdoors, as long as strictly follow to social distancing rules and good hygiene measures. This includes exercising outdoors.
The new August shielding date does not affect this updated advice.
Dr Atherton said: “We are asking all those in the shielding group to continue to shield until 16 August because coronavirus has not gone away. We want to do all we can to keep those people in this group safe and that means asking them to continue to shield.
“I will continue to work with my chief medical officer colleagues to review the evidence for this group and will write to them again in the summer.”
