Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Following the last review of the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) Regulations 2020 on 11 March I indicated my intention to provide for a number of further changes to the restriction regulations subject to the public health situation remaining favourable.
Cases of coronavirus in our communities continue to gradually fall. Whilst there have been increased cases in several local authority areas, these can be largely attributed to a number of localised clusters. The number of people with COVID-19 in hospitals has again decreased. Over 1.5 million first and second doses of vaccine have now been administered.
I am therefore able to confirm the following changes to the restrictions in Wales from Saturday 27 March. These are consistent with the careful and phased approach to relaxing restrictions set out in our updated Coronavirus Control Plan: Revised Alert Levels in Wales published last week.
The stay local rule will be replaced by an interim all-Wales travel area, which will remain in place until 12 April, subject to the public health situation. Until 12 April, people will need a reasonable excuse to travel into or out of Wales.
International travel remains prohibited unless a person has a reasonable excuse, such as it being essential for work. This restriction will remain after 12 April.
Self-contained holiday accommodation will be able to reopen to members of the same household or support bubble.
There will be limited reopening of the outdoor spaces of historic sites, gardens and parks.
The number of people able to meet outdoors, including in private gardens, is being increased to six people from two households. Children under 11 and carers do not count towards this limit. There must still be no indoors mixing and social distancing should be followed.
Outdoor children’s activities for under 18s will be allowed. Indoor activities should not take place.
Libraries and archives can also reopen.
The removal of ‘stay local’ represents a substantive move into alert level three. This will be reflected in the regulations. Over coming weeks we will continue to move gradually to alert level three as described in the Coronavirus Control Plan: Revised Alert Levels in Wales.
Observing the remaining restrictions, including not meeting indoors those you do not live with, remain vital as we collectively continue to keep Wales safe.