Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford led the Welsh Government briefing on the coronavirus outbreak in Wales on Friday (June 12).
Here is a summary of what he had to say:
The two-metre social distancing rule will not be reduced unless the science supports it
Wales' R-rate has dropped from 0.8 to 0.7, leaving more headroom for easing lockdown measures
The public need to "be patient" ahead of Wales' three-week lockdown review next week
First Minister will not abandon cautious approach to easing restrictions "however loud the demand"
Two-metre rule will only change if the science changes
Speaking to the media at Cathays Park in Cardiff on Friday, the First Minister said Wales will not change its two-metre social distancing regulation unless the science supports it.
The Welsh Government gets advice on the two-metre rule regularly from SAGE and the chief medical officer, he said.
"Their advice was really clear. If you halve the distance, you double the risk," he said.
Mr Drakeford said they have not recommended reducing the distance, but the advice will be revisited regularly in the changing context of the disease.
"If the advice from Sage and chief medical officers changed, then our position would change here in Wales," he said.
Headroom for lockdown easements in Wales 'could so easily be lost'
Mr Drakeford said key measures continue to move in the right direction in Wales, including the R-rate of the virus, which shows the average number of people every person with coronavirus is infecting.
The latest evidence suggests the rate has fallen from 0.8 to 0.7, he said. You can read more about that here.
The daily number of deaths also continues to fall.
At the virus' height, he said, there were often more than 40 deaths per day, but this week the daily figure so far has been 10 deaths or below.
He said the figures show Wales is on course to have headroom to make changes, but he warned "that headroom has been hard won and could so easily be lost".
Public needs to 'be patient' ahead of three-week lockdown review
Mr Drakeford has told people who are calling for information on how lockdown will be eased in Wales to "be patient".
He refused to give any more information on which restrictions might be lifted after Wales' three-week lockdown review next week, due to take place on Thursday.
"I don't think it is sensible for me to have a three-week cycle in which I say to people I will be telling you next Friday and then try to tell you today what next Friday will bring," he said.
"People will have to manage to be patient for one more week. A week is a lot more conversation, a lot more advice, a lot more information from all the figures and facts that we get through our systems here in Wales.
"Those decisions will be made next week, not today."
The First Minister said he will not abandon his cautious approach to easing measures “however loud the demand” from others.
