Coronavirus Regulations
The First Minister said everyone in Wales has;
"an important part to play in helping to prevent the spread of coronavirus – and this means thinking carefully about the contact we all have with other people".
Restrictions: 20 February
(Announcement on 19.02.21)
Seeing other people
- As of 20 February, four people from two different households are able to meet outdoors for socially distanced local exercise. However, you are not allowed to meet in private gardens.
- You are unable to meet up with people indoors or in a private garden even if you have both had the coronavirus vaccine and/or have just received a negative test result.
- You are unable to form an extended household in alert level 4, the only exception being if you are a single person household, who are allowed to create a support bubble with one other household.
Weddings
- From March 1, the law will be changed to allow licensed wedding venues, such as visitor attractions and hotels, to reopen by only to perform wedding and civil partnership ceremonies.
Exercise, gym and leisure
- Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools are closed, as are golf and tennis centres.
- You are able to exercise for as long as you want to and as many times as you want to - there are no restrictions on running and cycling distances for example. However, no journeys of significant distance should be undertaken to exercise.
- You must avoid doing exercise with people from outside your own household.
- Professional and elite sports are allowed to continue.
- Children's playgrounds are allowed to stay open providing social distancing measures are followed.
Entertainment facilities
- Indoor attractions and entertainment facilities are unable to open. This includes cinemas, bingo halls, bowling alleys and other indoor attractions. Outdoor attractions are also being forced to close.
Business support
- To support the businesses impacted by the new restrictions, the Welsh Government will provide the most generous support package in the UK.
- They will provide a new £180m funding block in addition to UK support. This will provide grants of up to £100,000 for small and medium businesses, and £150,000 for larger businesses.
- Up to 10,000 businesses will be supported by the fund, which will be delivered through Business Wales.
- It is hoped payments can be made before Christmas where possible.
Business closures
- All leisure, close contact services and non-essential retail is closed. This includes clothes shops, furniture shops and car dealerships among many others.
- You should only go out shopping for essential items. If you need or want items that are not available under the new restrictions, you should either wait until alert level 4 restrictions are lifted or consider whether alternatives such as home delivery are available.
Hospitality
- The First Minister announced on 19.02.21 that he hopes to re-open non-essential retail in Wales from March 15th.
- Also announced that some B&Bs and hotels could re-open after Easter.
- Can stay open and continue to trade but are only allowed to open for takeaway services. Alcohol cannot be sold between 10pm and 6am.
Work
- You must work from home if you can.
- If you are unable to work from home, for example for jobs such as construction or tradespeople, then you are allowed to continue working.
- Work carried out in people’s homes, for example by tradespeople, can continue as long as it is managed in a safe way and both the worker and household members are well and have no symptoms of coronavirus.
- Voluntary work is allowed to continue, however it must be done from home wherever possible.
- You are allowed to travel between England and Wales for work providing you cannot otherwise work from home.
Education and childcare
- Update: 19.02.21 - The Welsh Government's aim is to ensure that all primary aged students and examination aged students in secondary school are back in school from March 15.
- Some children in Wales are set to return to school in person after the February half term.
- The Minister for Education announced on 5 February that schools will begin a phased return for foundation phase learners, from 22 February.
- This includes 3 - 7 year old pupils.
- Small numbers of vocational learners, including apprentices, will also be able to return to colleges.
- Children of critical workers and vulnerable learners will continue to receive face to face learning on the school site, and special schools and PRUs will continue to remain open where possible.
Travel
- You are unable to go on holiday in Wales in the UK, or abroad.
- If you have pre-booked – and paid – for a holiday, we would advise you to contact the travel agent or travel company to discuss the current situation in Wales and the restrictions, which have been put in place by the Welsh Government to restrict non-essential travel.
Transport
- You are unable to have driving lessons.
- You are unable to have your test, you should rearrange this with the DVSA.
- Public transport is still able to operate, however bus and rail timetables have been reduced. Face coverings must be worn at all times on public transport.
Accommodation
- All accommodation business are required to close.
- However, accommodation businesses should ensure they do not unintentionally make anyone homeless as a result of closure .
- Some B&Bs and hotels could re-open after Easter (FM announcement 19.02.21).
Close contact services
- Hairdressers, beauty salons and other close contact services such as massage and tattoo parlours, are required to close.
For further clarification of the rules please see below:
- People who you do not live with cannot come into your home, unless you have formed an extended household (or 'bubble') with them.
- This does not apply to tradespeople having to undertake work in your home.
- There is no geographical limit to creating an extended household. However, the Government recommends that you form your extended household as locally as possible as this will help prevent the virus spreading from an area where there may be a higher rate of infection.
- You may visit someone under compassionate grounds. For example, this may be visiting someone where that person is struggling with a physical or mental illness, have suffered a bereavement or you may be concerned about their general wellbeing or welfare.
Everyone must comply with these new measures.
More information can be found at gov.wales or alternatively on the FAQ's page https://gov.wales/alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions.
Last updated 19/02/21.