Retailers will be able to resume trading if they can take all
reasonable measures to comply with the physical distancing duty
in Welsh law to reduce the spread of coronavirus and protect shop
workers and shoppers.
The changes are part of a comprehensive package of measures being
introduced step by step every Monday over the next three weeks.
Pupils will return to schools on 29 June and the requirement to
stay local will be lifted, if conditions allow on 6 July.
The First Minister will today also alert the visitor and tourism
industry to start preparations to reopen if the spread of the
virus continues to decline.
First Minister said:
“The threat of coronavirus hasn’t gone away but thanks to the
efforts we have all made over the last few months, the number
of people contracting coronavirus each day in Wales is falling,
so too is the risk of meeting somebody with virus.
“Given the progress we have made, we are able to take some
additional cautious steps to further unlock our society and
economy. This includes more retailers being able re-open their
businesses, as long as they take measures to minimise the risk
to their staff and to the customers who visit their stores.
“Our focus continues to be on the health risks of the outbreak,
but we can now begin to cautiously focus much more squarely on
the wider economic and societal impact the virus is having.
“We have provided a huge amount of support to businesses and
jobs as they hibernated during the pandemic – now we start to
take these careful steps to restart our economy.”
On Monday, a series of changes will be made to the coronavirus
regulations – the main change will be to enable non-essential
retail businesses to open.
They follow the fourth statutory review of the coronavirus
regulations by Welsh Ministers, using the latest scientific and
medical evidence from the UK Scientific Advisory Group for
Emergencies (SAGE), the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory
Cell (TAC) and the advice from the Chief Medical Officer for
Wales.
Monday’s changes include:
- Enabling private prayer in places of worship where social
distancing is maintained and gatherings do not take place;
- Restarting the housing market by enabling house viewings to
take place in vacant properties and house moves where a sale has
been agreed but not yet completed;
- Lifting the restrictions on outdoor sports courts but social
distancing must be maintained. No contact or team sports
will be allowed;
- Enabling non-professional elite athletes, including Olympic
and Paralympic hopefuls, to resume training.
On June 29, pupils will be returning to schools to check in,
catch up and prepare for summer and September under plans
announced by Education Minister .
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. People who are eligible to vote in overseas elections,
where voting must be done in person, will also be able to travel.
Ministers have decided to lift the requirement to stay local on 6
July, provided the conditions allow. With the requirement lifted,
people will be able to travel to tourist attractions across
Wales.
The First Minister will today signal to some businesses and the
visitor and tourism industry to use this period to begin to make
preparations for reopening.
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.
Discussions will also be held with the hospitality sector about
the potential phased reopening of pubs, cafes and restaurants
while maintaining strict social distancing.
The First Minister added:
“I know the wider tourism industry is keen to reopen and to
salvage some of this summer’s season. I am therefore signalling
owners of self-contained accommodation should use the next
three weeks to prepare to re-open, working with their local
communities.
“But I want people to know coronavirus has not gone away. We
have some headroom to make this package of changes to the
regulations, which will be introduced in a phased and cautious
way in Wales.
“Many aspects of daily life in Wales will be moving into the
amber zone in our traffic light system. But we all need to
continue to take steps to protect ourselves from the virus –
that means working from home wherever possible; avoiding
unnecessary travel; only meeting with one other household
outdoors; maintaining social distancing and washing your hands
often. It may also mean wearing a face covering in some
situations.
“It is thanks to the efforts of everyone in Wales that we have
slowed the spread of coronavirus but we can’t stop now. We need
to do all we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones from
the virus and to keep Wales safe.”