Coronavirus LIVE: First Minister Mark Drakeford to explain lockdown changes

Visitors will be welcomed to Wales

The First Minister says he can say with confidence Wales will be open to everyone before the end of summer. He says if they are re-opening tourism industry that applies to everyone.

At the moment the stay local rule applies until July 6.

Full list of all the lockdown rules that have changed in Wales explained

Further steps have been taken to relax lockdown restrictions in Wales. All shops will be able to re-open from Monday, June 22, as part of what the Welsh Government is calling “the biggest unlocking of the coronavirus regulations to date”. Read more.

Hospitality industry

Mr Drakeford says they have now used up all the headroom they have. There is no headroom to re-open restaurants, pubs and bars at the moment, he says.

You can visit family if they are struggling mentally

Mr Drakeford says if someone writes to him and says they have a family member who has not seen anyone who has not seen their family for three months and it is having an impact on their welfare, then he would say they could visit. The visit must be carried out outside though.

Creating social bubbles with another household

Mr Drakeford says if they can make a decision on extended households they will, and they don’t have to wait three weeks until the next review.

Can you be fined for travelling more than five miles?

The five miles is advice and not a rule, Mr Drakeford says. He says people should stay local - that is a rule - but it is up to you how you interpret it.

If you need to make a visit on compassionate grounds that is allowed for the next two weeks. He hopes to lift the five mile rule all together.

Stay local is advice, not a requirement. The five miles is a rule of thumb, he says, to get a sense of what local might be.

Outbreaks in North Wales show importance of stay local message

Mr Drakeford says the stay local message is important and coronavirus is not over. He references the outbreaks in North Wales at Rowan Foods and 2 Sisters.

Nearly 40 staff have tested positive for Covid-19 at Rowan Foods, in Wrexham,that supplies major supermarkets.

The company employs 1,500 people on Wrexham Industrial Estate and makes prepared foods for companies across the UK, including Asda and Sainsbury’s.

This is the second major outbreak at a food site in North Wales with 2 Sisters today closing their abattoir in Llangefni on Anglesey for two weeks. At 2 Sisters, 58 workers have tested positive for Covid-19.

Decision on hairdressers opening to be made

At the next review on 9 July, the Welsh Government will consider a range of specific options for opening:

• Self-contained holiday accommodation;
• Personal care services, such as hairdressing and beauty, by appointment.

Tourism

The First Minister has alerted the visitor and tourism industry to start preparations to reopen if the spread of the virus continues to decline.

Bookings will be allowed from July 13.

This will let visitors stay in holiday cottages, caravan parks and hotels that have adjusted to allow guests to be “self contained”.

Visting young offenders will be allowed - but you can't see your family

The requirement to stay local and not generally travelling more than five miles from home remains in place. However, new guidance will make it clear people are able to travel outside their local area on compassionate grounds. This includes seeing people at a care home or a youth offender institution – when these visits are allowed, we are told. People who are eligible to vote in overseas elections, where voting must be done in person, will also be able to travel.

This means you can only see friends and family if they live within five miles of your home. But you would be allowed to see someone at a young offenders institute even if it is further than five miles.

Five mile rule

The five mile rule will remain in place until July 6.

However, if you have compassionate reasons to travel further that will be allowed.

Mr Drakeford says more will be announced on that later.

Schools to return

The plan is still to send children back to school on June 29.

Private prayer at places of worship

Private prayer in places of worship will be allowed where social distancing is maintained and gatherings do not take place;

Outdoor markets and sports

Outdoor markets and sports courts can re-open - but not for contact sports.

Housing market

Housing market will also re-open with viewings back on the cards.

Shops to open

Mark Drakeford says each death is a tragedy and he feels for anyone who has been affected by the virus.

He says that there is some headroom to make a package of changes for Wales which will come into force over the next few weeks.

Experts have recommended they make changes in a step-by-step way when it is safe to do so.

In the current headroom, he can make the significant change on Monday June 22 that shops can re-open. But they must be able to comply with phsyical distancing.

Coronavirus briefing

The daily coronavirus is set to get underway any minute now. First Minister will be announcing the changes to lockdown and explaining how it will work.