All remaining Covid rules in Wales could be lifted this month

All remaining Covid rules could be lifted in Wales at the end of this month.

Wales will remain under Alert Level Zero until March 28 – with measures being lifted after this if the situation continues to ease.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has today published the Welsh Government’s long-term plan to live with the virus.

Mr Drakeford said: “We’ve been living in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic for two long years. It has touched all our lives

“Across Wales, families and communities have made many sacrifices to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. People in Wales have followed the rules.

“But sadly, too many families have experienced the pain of losing a loved one or a close friend. My thoughts are with them all.”

But the First Minister said there is “no doubt we have reached a significant moment in this pandemic” and added: “We can look to the future with growing confidence that the next year will be one in which we have a different relationship with the virus.”

But he insisted the pandemic “isn’t over” and said we are likely to see “fluctuations in global patterns of infection for several years”.

The Welsh Government’s plan, called Together for a Safer Future, sets out how Wales’ coronavirus response will change, with two main scenarios.

The scenarios are Covid Stable and Covid Urgent.

Under Covid Stable, which the Welsh Government says is the most likely scenario, it is expected Covid cases will not put unsustainable pressure on the NHS, due to the effectiveness of vaccines and new antiviral treatments.

Vaccination boosters will be rolled out in the spring for the elderly and most vulnerable in society, with a regular vaccine programme starting in the autumn.

Meanwhile, contact tracing will be scaled back and aimed more towards reaching out those who are vulnerable to the virus.

The Welsh Government has also said contingency planning is underway to allow public services to respond to a Covid Urgent scenario, which could come about if a new, vaccine-resistant variant emerged, for example.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru’s health spokesperson, said: “One thing we certainly know is the need to build resilience into plans for the future of our health and care services. Getting the NHS back on track isn’t just about waiting for Covid to go, and in fact it’ll be with us for some time yet.

“The gradual move from pandemic to endemic must be accompanied by a plan which includes long term solutions to overcome long-standing problems.”