Reopening schools in September will be given “top priority” over easing any further coronavirus regulations in Wales, the First Minister has said.
Mark Drakeford warned while there are “things we would like to be able to do”, including allowing more groups of people to meet indoors, making sure pupils can return to class is the government’s main focus.
Drakeford announced the latest forthcoming changes to regulations in Wales on Friday, which include trialling a number of small-scale outdoor performances and sporting events limited to 100 people.
But asked whether any “big changes” will be put on hold in order to avoid putting the reopening of schools at risk – with question marks remaining over the resumption opening of arts venues and allowing large crowds at professional sport events – he said schools come first. He said:
I remain acutely aware of the major events sector here in Wales which hasn’t been able to resume at all. But I do have to say to all of those sectors, and indeed to all the things we’ve been able to do already, that schools will be our top priority going into the autumn.
If coronavirus does not remain at the very suppressed level it currently is, then we will think about schools first as we still try and find some headroom to go on in the gradual step-by-step way we have restoring freedoms to people in Wales.
Drakeford said things the government will look at include allowing people to meet inside community centres towards the winter months as it becomes more difficult to meet outside.
The small-scale outdoor events and performances to be trialled as part of the latest easing include live outdoor performances from Theatr Clwyd and a car rally at Anglesey Circuit, both in North Wales, and the Welsh Triathlon’s Return to Racing competition at Pembrey Country Park, Carmarthenshire,
The Welsh government said if carried out safely and transmission of the virus remains low, the trials could trigger the next stage of reopening events and increased numbers of participants and spectators could be permitted.
Drakeford also confirmed indoor visits to care homes will be given the green light from 29 August, subject to strict controls and restricted to one person at a time.
From Saturday, extended households will be allowed to expand to include up to four other households in their bubble, while weddings and funerals will be allowed to cater for meals for up to 30 people as long as attendees socially distance.
Drakeford said Wales was the only part of the UK where the daily rate of new infections continued to fall last week, and he praised the country’s localised track and trace programme for being able to “get on top of” outbreaks quickly.
Meanwhile, Public Health Wales said there were no further reported deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, with the total number of fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic remaining at 1,589.
It also said the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country had increased by 34 to 17,673.
