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Welsh Government changes for wedding and outdoor education sector but pause on wider lockdown lifting

The rise in cases of the Delta variant has prompted a four week pause before any substantive changes

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford during a visit to North Wales(Image: Ian Cooper / North Wales Live)

First Minister Mark Drakeford will announce a four-week pause to the easing of coronavirus rules on Friday to help boost protection against the new Delta variant - although there will be changes for weddings, wakes, and outdoor activity centres.

The Welsh Government says it plans to speed up second doses over the next four weeks with another half a million doses rolled out as cases of coronavirus begin to rise.

This increase in cases is linked to the Delta variant and Wales’ coronavirus case rate has risen steadily since the end of May although it remains the lowest in the 海角视频 at around 24 per 100,000.

The variant was first identified in India, with 海角视频 Government - which has paused its own path out of lockdown - under fire for not closing the border with the country earlier.

It means plans for a further substantive easing of rules for meeting indoors on June 21 in Wales has been paused although there are some changes being made.

These include:

  • The number of people who can attend a wedding or civil partnership reception or wake, organised by a business in an indoors regulated premise, such as a hotel, will be determined by the size of the venue and a risk assessment. It is currently limited to 30 indoors. Under the new rules there would be no nationally set limit on guests.
  • Clarifying small grassroots music and comedy venues will be able to operate on the same basis as hospitality venues, like pubs and cafes.
  • Primary school children in the same school contact group or bubble will be able to stay overnight in a residential outdoor education centres.
  • Pilot events in theatre, sport and other sectors will also continue throughout June and July.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “In the space of just a few short weeks, the delta variant has entered Wales and quickly spread throughout the country. There is sustained and accelerating transmission, not just in North and South East Wales but in all parts of Wales.

“It is now the most dominant variant in new cases in Wales. We are once again facing a serious public health situation.

“We have the lowest coronavirus rates in the 海角视频 and the highest vaccination rates for first doses. A four-week delay in relaxing restrictions could help to reduce the peak number of daily hospital admissions by up to half, at a time when the NHS is very busy supporting all our healthcare needs – not just treating coronavirus.”