National ‘set of rules’ in Wales to replace local lockdown measures following two week fire break

First minister Mark Drakeford has said national measures will replace local lockdown restrictions once the current two-week fire break period is over on November 9.

A local lockdown aimed at protecting people’s health and controlling the spread of coronavirus came into force in Wrexham at the start of October.

The move followed a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases across the county borough.

Local lockdown restrictions impacted on cross border travel and who people can meet inside and outside of homes.

The two-week fire break which began at 6pm on Friday has now seen tougher restrictions imposed across all parts of Wales.

Talking to Wales Online today, the first minister said the local lockdowns had “genuinely played their part” in helping to suppress the virus in those areas, “we would be in a much worse position if we hadn’t taken those actions.”

However moving forward national measures would be implemented when the firebreak ended on November 9

Mr Drakeford explained that once the fire break ends, shops, restaurants, bars and cafes will be able to reopen as will gyms and leisure centres, “essentially on the same terms as they traded before the lockdown.”

He said two of the “trickiest issues” which are still to be resolved are household gatherings “what will we be able to offer people in terms of getting together inside their own homes.”

The second issue is travel, “what will we be able to do to allow people to travel between different parts of Wales after November 9.” He said.

“I’m keen that we resolve it by the end of this week or the beginning of next to give people as much notice as we can of what will happen once the fire break period is over.”

You can watch the full interview below.