Hefin David MS: “The sacrifices we are making together are making a difference and saving lives”

My work, throughout this difficult time has been to make sure you have as much information as I can provide. I want to make sure you get the chance to ask questions, make your voice heard and get the answers you need. 

Where you need help, I’ve done my best to provide it.

Today, I want to concentrate on the new regulations that have been announced as effective from June 1st.

A list of frequently asked questions has been provided by the Welsh Government, which should be useful. https://gov.wales/changes-coronavirus-regulations-1-june-frequently-asked-questions

Friends and family

The Welsh Government have been keen to find a way to allow people to meet friends and family again, where it is safe to do so.

They are therefore changing the regulations to allow that to happen:

• People from two different households in the same local area will be able to meet up as long as they are outdoors and they maintain strict social distancing and hand hygiene.
• LOCAL means not generally travelling more than five miles to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading. This is guidance to help people understand what is meant by ‘local’ and people are expected use good judgement and common sense when considering plans to meet friends and family.

Shielding

It has been announced that people who have been shielding can meet people from another household, as long as it takes place outdoors. 

The two changes are as follows;

• Outdoor exercise is unlimited, as long as individuals strictly follow social distancing rules and hygiene practices.
• Those who are shielding can meet outside with people from another household – but should not go into another person’s house or share food with them.

The measures announced by the First Minister have been specifically tailored to the R rate in Wales, which is currently between 0.8 and 0.9. Getting R as low as possible is an overriding objective. If for example, R is 0.9, you could project that 800 deaths could occur because of the virus. If R reaches 1.1 then 7000 deaths could occur.

The next review

The final decision about whether a wide range of non-essential shops will reopen will be taken at the next 21-day review later this month.

It will as always depend on advice from scientific and medical experts and about what the R rate is in Wales.

It is very likely that only those shops which can comply with the 2m social distancing duty will be able to reopen in three weeks, but this is an opportunity for those businesses to plan purposefully for reopening, in the same way local authorities have used the last review period to plan for recycling centres and libraries to reopen.

I am only too aware of the challenges that these times are causing us all. But the sacrifices we are making together are making a difference and saving lives. We are one team.