(Title Image: via BBC Wales)
Following speculation over the weekend, earlier this afternoon the First Minister confirmed that Wales will enter what’s described as a two-week “firebreak” national lockdown to help slow the second wave of Covid-19.
The lockdown will start at 6 pm on Friday 23rd October and will last until Monday 9th November 2020.
The restrictions are similar, but not identical, to those introduced during the first UK-wide lockdown in March-April 2020.
As for the specifics:
Social Distancing
- People should stay at home (and work from home if possible) unless they’re a key worker, they can’t work from home or for outdoor exercise which starts and ends at home (it’s obvious that things like food shopping, medical appointments etc. are valid excuses to leave home).
- All indoor and outdoor gatherings with people other than those who live in the same household are banned – including Halloween and Bonfire Night. There’s an exception for single-person households and single parents who will be able to form a “bubble” with one other household.
Closures & Restrictions
- All non-essential retail, hospitality businesses, tourism businesses and close contact personal services (i.e. hairdressers) will need to close.
- Libraries, leisure centres/gyms, community centres and tips/recycling centres will also need to close.
- Places of worship can remain open for weddings and funerals; Remembrance Sunday services (on 8th November) can still go ahead.
Schools/Education & Childcare
- Childcare facilities can remain open for the entire duration of the mini lockdown.
- Primary schools and special schools will reopen after the half-term holiday (on November 2nd 2020) as normal.
- Secondary school pupils in Years 7 & 8 will return to school after half-term too, but older secondary pupils will need to learn from home until 9th November but can go to school to sit exams (where applicable).
- Universities (and, presumably, FE colleges) can continue to provide a mix of virtual and in-person learning, though students will have to remain in their university accommodation and can’t return home.
Business Support
- All businesses covered by small business rate relief will automatically receive £1,000.
- Small and medium-sized retailers and hospitality businesses which will need to close will receive a one-off payment of £5,000. Other grants will be available for small businesses which are struggling.
- The third phase of the economic resilience fund – which has been increased by £20million – will open next week.
- None of this affects business eligibility for UK Government support (i.e. wage subsidies).
