The ‘stay at home‘ message remains the same in Wales despite the Prime Minister setting out changes to the lockdown rules in England over the next few weeks.

In a televised message Boris Johnson has given his statement on the roadmap for the future of lockdown in England.

 

What did Boris Johnson announce?

  • A new Covid Alert System will track the virus in England
  • The PM says it is “not the time to simply end the lockdown this week”
  • People should now be “actively encouraged” to go to work if they cannot work from home, but they should avoid public transport
  • From Wednesday, people in England can take “unlimited exercise”, including sitting in your local park or driving to destinations for exercise
  • Schools could return on 1 June, with primary schools opening first, but that date is the “earliest” it could happen
  • Parts of the hospitality industry and more shops could open from July, dependent on the data
  • People coming to the country by air will be put in quarantine
  • Boris Johnson says he “will not hesitate to put on the brakes” if there are further outbreaks of the virus

In response to the Prime Minister’s message, First Minister for Wales Mark Drakeford said: “I set out the modest changes to the stay-at-home regulations we are making in Wales on Friday. These will come into force tomorrow afternoon.

“Here in Wales, we will change the regulations so people can exercise more often and allow garden centres to open, if they can comply with social distancing.

“Our advice has not changed in Wales.

  • Wherever you can you should stay at home.
  • If you need to leave home for work, exercise or shopping, you should stay local and stay alert.
    Coronavirus has not gone away
  • The way we behave over the weeks ahead will continue to have a profound impact on our NHS and our ability to save lives.
  • If you go out, stay local and stay safe.

“The Prime Minister also set out his roadmap for the future. This is at an early stage because it depends on how the virus behaves over the coming weeks and months.

“Two weeks ago, I published a framework to lead Wales out of the pandemic. This has helped us decide that schools will not return to normal on June 1.

“We will continue to make decisions, which are right for Wales, using information and expert advice about how coronavirus is circulating here to keep us safe.

“The health of the public is paramount. It will inform our decisions and we will continue to inform you as we plan for our future in the weeks ahead.

“Thank you for all your help and support. Together we can do this.”