Covid Wales: Stay local does not include a five mile 'rule'

The first minister has insisted that guidance for people to stay within five miles of their homes as part of “stay local” restrictions in Wales is “not a rule”.

Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is guidance and is to be interpreted in people’s individual circumstances.

“Of course there will be people, in rural Wales particularly, who don’t live five miles away from a shop – they would have to travel further, and they’ll be able to do that over the next two weeks.

“People can interpret it with some flexibility in their local circumstances.”

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Mr Drakeford was asked to give an assurance that people would not be penalised if they travelled more than five miles to go to a shop or hairdressers.

“Provided that they are not passing lots of shops in order to go to another one, then of course that will be consistent with the rule,” he replied.

He insisted people were being asked to stay local “for a very good reason”, adding that while coronavirus figures in Wales were promising, the country was “not out of the woods”.