Wales to ease restrictions over next three weeks

The First Minister has confirmed that there will be a four-stage process to easing restrictions in the region, depending on cases remaining low:

• Saturday 15 January: numbers allowed to attend an outdoor event will rise from 50 to 500
• Friday 21 January: Crowds allowed to return to sporting events, paving the way for rugby Six Nations full houses in Cardiff, and no limits on those attending outdoor events
• Friday 28 January: Nightclubs can re-open and hospitality allowed to operate normally, although Covid passes will still be required for large events, plus cinemas, nightclubs and theatres. Working from home no longer a legal requirement
• Thursday 10 February: Wales returns to a three-week review cycle as the country is at alert level zero.

“The actions we have taken together have helped us to weather the omicron storm. The latest data suggests some positive signs that the peak may have passed,” Mr Drakeford said. “We can now look more confidently to the future and plan to start gradually removing the alert level two restrictions, starting with the outdoors measures …”