Wales 'freedom day' ruled out but what can we expect from latest Covid restrictions review?

  • Report by Adrian Masters for Tuesday's Wales at Six

When the Welsh Government pressed pause on its unlocking plan four weeks ago, I described it as a moment when all of us should close our eyes and take a deep breath.

The time is now upon us when we can breathe out; but what will we see when we open our eyes?

The cabinet will meet again on Wednesday morning and the First Minister will set out a further easing of the Covid restrictions in the afternoon.

I can make some educated guesses about the sort of changes to expect, but one thing I can confidently predict: there'll be no talk from him or other ministers of 'Freedom Day' here in Wales.

"It will not be a wholesale abandonment of the collective measures we've been taking," the First Minister told Senedd Members on Tuesday.

Even though the UK Government is now taking a more cautious approach in its own messages surrounding the changes of July 19th, the 'Freedom Day' briefing of the last few months has stuck in the minds of many as has the Prime Minister's repeated assurances that unlocking in England is 'irreversible.'

The reality is that some restrictions will remain in England even if many of them will become guidance rather than rules.

But it'll be no surprise to learn that Mark Drakeford's government in Cardiff is unlikely to drop its cautious approach.

The last month has seen Covid cases rising rapidly, something which was predicted by public health officials as unlocking continued. But those same officials are also noting that the successful vaccination programme has led to far fewer of those cases leading to serious illness or death.

So it's a safe bet to expect the First Minister to confirm that Wales will move fully to Alert Level One in the Welsh Government's unlocking plan but to hold off from much more radical easing for a few weeks more.

Perhaps the one rule change in Alert Level One that will make a noticeable difference to most of us is when it comes to meeting up indoors.

For the first time in many months, up to six people not already belonging to a 'bubble' would be allowed to meet indoors in private homes and in holiday accommodation, making a real difference to families and groups of friends as well as to providers of accommodation.

You can expect, too, that Mark Drakeford will set out the easing of restrictions beyond next week, meaning something similar to "Freedom Day" is likely to come in the early part of August.

Ministers have started referring to "Alert Level Zero" - a stage in the unlocking plan that none of us know much about because until now it hasn't been included in the blueprint so far.

I'd expect it would see significant easing of the rules around meeting up indoors and allowing all remaining businesses to reopen, such as nightclubs.

What's not yet clear is what restrictions will remain. For instance, will people still be required to wear face coverings in pubs as they will be if visiting hospitals?

And what about social distancing? Theatres and cinemas are allowed to open now but for most the 2m rule makes it unviable for them to do so.

There continue to be big questions over how governments should impose and lift restrictions. We've seen Boris Johnson's answers to those questions. On Wednesday we will get Mark Drakeford's.