It’s been confirmed that from Saturday almost all of Wales’ coronavirus restrictions are being lifted – but not all of them will go at once.
Some things, such as social distancing, are changing from legal requirements to guidance but there are some rules which remain different in Wales to England.
For example from July 19 it was no longer a legal requirement in England to wear face coverings in indoor settings or on public transport. However in Wales masks will remain a legal requirement indoors in public places such as on public transport, in shops, and when accessing healthcare. Go here to read an in-depth breakdown of how the rules now differ in the four UK nations.
Read more:Double vaccination will be needed to travel ‘forevermore’, says UK Government minister
As always the Welsh Government say the rules announced are in place while the public health situation allows and changes will be made if the situation worsens. The three-weekly reviews remain in place and the outcome of the next review is due to be announced on August 27.
Here are the rules and guidance that remains in place as Wales enters alert level zero.
Wales moves to alert level zero
Masks
As part of this review masks will no longer be needed in hospitality settings from Saturday. However even at alert level zero face coverings will remain a legal requirement indoors in public places, such as on public transport, in shops, and when accessing healthcare.
The use of face coverings in the workplace should also be considered by businesses and employers as part of their coronavirus risk assessment.
We’ve already been told that face masks will not be needed in school classrooms from September.
The Welsh Government’s coronavirus control plan for alert level zero says: “We expect to gradually ease the legal requirement to wear face coverings, though the requirements on public transport and in healthcare settings are likely to be in place longest.”
When we asked the health minister Eluned Morgan the next area where the requirement for masks could next be removed she said it would be indoor public settings.
“Some of the things I guess we’d be looking at are kind of big, open public places, so things like museums and things like that where you know that there’s a lot of air circulating that it’s much easier so I guess that’s that’s the place where we’ll be looking at next.”
Social distancing
Mark Drakeford has already said he expects social distancing to still be in place for the rest of the year. At alert level zero it will be down to each organisation to decide the rules in their establishment.
The Welsh Government’s coronavirus control plan, published in July, said: “The reasonable measures to be taken, such as physical distancing and other controls, will be for each organisation to consider depending on the nature of the premises and the risks of exposure to coronavirus identified”.
Self-isolation
It was announced this week that the payments people can claim from the Welsh Government if they are told to self-isolate is going up from £500 to £750.
When announcing the change the Welsh Government said that the scheme is in place until March 2022 – showing there are no plans to stop the requirement to self-isolate anytime soon.
However rules are changing. From August 7 fully vaccinated adults will no longer have to self-isolate if they are identified as close contacts of someone with coronavirus. Children and young people under 18 will also be exempt from the need to self-isolate if they are also identified as close contacts of a positive case.
But everyone who tests positive for coronavirus or has symptoms must continue to isolate for 10 days whether they have been vaccinated or not.
International travel
The Welsh Government has repeatedly said they do not want people to travel abroad.
However it has also said that as the UK Government changes its rules it knows it cannot have different rules, partly because so many people from Wales use English airports or travel hubs.
But the Welsh Government says rules around international travel will be in place “for the foreseeable future” in terms of testing and arriving international travellers.
Working from home
The shift to home-working has been huge for most of us and isn’t changing.
The Welsh Government say “we will encourage people to continue to work from home where they can”. It is also looking at getting 30% of Welsh workers working “at or near to home”.
Do you think the rules are being relaxed at the right time? Let us know in the comments below.
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