Wales will go into a “short, sharp” national lockdown from Friday until Monday November 9, First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has today announced (October 19).
Following a rise in Covid-19 cases and hospital admissions in Wales, non-essential shops will be required to close in an attempt to buy the NHS time and stop hospitals from being overwhelmed.
Essential businesses – including convenience stores and Home News Delivery services – are permitted to stay open.
Gatherings indoors and outdoors with people not in your household will also be banned.
Places of worship will be closed for normal services, except for funerals and weddings, and Halloween and Bonfire Night gatherings will not be allowed; however there will be an exception for small Remembrance Sunday commemoration services on 8 November.
The lockdown will replace the 17 local lockdowns that are currently in place in Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “We have now reached the difficult decision to introduce a two week firebreak, starting at 6pm of Friday this week.
“The firebreak period will then include the half-term holiday and cover the weeks ending on Monday the 9th of November.
“Everyone in Wales will be required to stay at home. This means working from home wherever that is possible, and the only acceptations will be critical workers and jobs where working from home is simply not possible.
“All non-essential retail, leisure, hospitality and tourism businesses will close, just as they had to during the March lockdown.”
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