THE Welsh Government is looking at the “maximum amount” of measures that can lifted ahead of next week’s lockdown review.
Speaking at the daily press briefing, the First Minister for Wales Mark Drakeford said he will be looking at a “basket of measures”.
And he promised that he would release as much as the lockdown restrictions as he can – as long as it is safe to do so.
He said that the restrictions will be lifted up “the point” where the chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, and other advisors say they “can’t go further”.
“We are not going to run risks that coronavirus will be on the move again and putting lives at risk.
“But up to the point, we will of course offer people freedoms that have been denied during the height of the crisis and to the maximum extent that we can within those careful and cautious limits.”
He said that such lifting was only possible due to the “headroom” that Wales has made.
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The R-rate in Wales has decreased from 0.8 to 0.7 because of the “sober and cautious” way in which restrictions have been lifted thus far and the “way in which we are staying local and keeping Wales safe”.
“That headroom has been hard-won.
“We need to use the headroom that we have created here in Wales to allow more economic activity to happen.
“That is my ambition when I am standing here on Friday of next week – to show how we can use the headroom we have created to do that.”
However, he warned that he will not “throw” all the restrictions away.
“We can choose a path in which we regain our freedoms carefully, gradually and safely using the headroom we have made together but never taking steps which would knowingly undermine everything we have achieved.
“Or we could throw it all away, lift the restrictions in a rush, and run the real risk that this deadly virus would be on the rise again in Wales.”
He said that the Welsh Government will stick the “path” they have chosen.
“As I and my cabinet colleagues make decisions about the weeks ahead, I want you to know that whatever happens elsewhere, and how the loud the demands to do things differently might be, we will stick to the path we have chosen
“Your safety and that of your family will be at the forefront of our thinking as we move to rebuild our society and economy in Wales.”
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