People living alone in lockdown areas will be able to meet others indoors

People living alone in local lockdown areas in Wales will be able to meet with one other household indoors, First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed.

The new rules, which come into force on Saturday (October 3), will also allow single parents to join with one other household.

However, people will not be able to mix with households outside of their county borough.

The number of people meeting indoors as part of an extended household is restricted to six.

The First Minister said: “The coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on all of us – we’ve all been through so much this year already.

“Many people will have the support of their family at this time but large numbers of people – young and old – live alone. None of us should have to face coronavirus on our own.

“Creating temporary bubbles for single people and single parents in local lockdown areas will make sure they have the emotional support they need during this time.”

Caerphilly’s Labour Senedd Member Hefin David welcomed the move and said he had been contacted by many people living alone.

He said: “While people need to continue to be cautious and maintain social distancing, it is also important that those who may otherwise be isolated are able to make direct contact with others.

“Caerphilly is making a difference as I’m seeing throughout the constituency.”

Plaid Cymru’s shadow health minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth, welcomed the announcement, but called for a “wider strategy taking into account all the information we now have on the impact of coronavirus and lockdown on wellbeing and mental health”.

Welsh Conservative shadow health minister, Andrew RT Davies, welcomed the decision, but said: “the importance of longer-term solutions to the issue of isolation and the effect it can have on a person’s mental health cannot be overestimated.”

Caerphilly County Borough became the first local authority area in Wales to be placed under a local lockdown on September 8.

It has been confirmed that the local lockdown will remain in place in the borough until at least next week.

Dr Robin Howe, incident director at Public Health Wales, said: “Following the introduction of restrictions in the borough of Caerphilly, our data is beginning to show a downward trend.

“Although we cannot categorically say this trend is a result of lockdown, we are cautiously optimistic and we are looking at a number of alternative sources to validate these results.”

Currently, 15 counties and one town are currently under local lockdown restrictions in Wales.