From October people in Wales will have to show a NHS Covid Pass to enter nightclubs and attend events.

This is being introduced to help control the spread of coronavirus as cases are currently very high - but the alert level will remain at zero for the next three weeks.

All over-18s will need to have a NHS Covid Pass to enter:

• Nightclubs

• Indoor, non-seated events for more than 500 people, such as concerts or conventions

• Outdoor non-seated events for more than 4,000 people

• Setting or event with more than 10,000 people

People who are fully vaccinated can already download the NHS Covid Pass to show and share their vaccine status. It will also allow people to show they have had a negative lateral flow test result within the last 48 hours if they haven’t been vaccinated.

Yesterday (September 20) care home residents and healthcare staff in Newport started receiving their Covid booster vaccine.

This is because our Welsh Government Health Minister Eluned Morgan has accepted the JCVI’s advice to offer a booster to over 50s, health and social care workers and people with underlying health conditions. Other adults will be considered later on.

If you have any questions about the boosters, please do not hesitate to contact my office. It shows this awful virus has not gone away. We must continue to remain vigilant.

In Wales we have always fought this virus head-on and this has been evident in our world leading vaccine programme. We must carry on this fight.

Letters are now also being issued to 12 to 15-year-olds inviting them to have a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

There will be appropriate information made available for young people and their parents. Consent must be given and it is strongly encouraged that they discuss it with their children.

Away from the pandemic, I am very disappointed by the UK Tory Government’s intentions to press ahead with the planned cut to the Universal Credit uplift. Our Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt (along with Ministers from the other devolved administrations) has written to the UK Government to condemn the decision.

In Newport East, 8,630 working age families, including nearly 5,000 families with children will be impacted by the cut.

Dr Victoria Winckler from the Bevan Foundation recently wrote: “Families with children have already borne a great deal in the pandemic, with schools closed, loss of contact with friends and relatives, and pressure on household budgets. The cut will inevitably increase child poverty and cause lasting harm to children from low income families.”

This isn’t acceptable and Labour, both in Westminster and the Senedd, will continue to fight this.