Coronavirus: Wales imposes ‘firebreak’ for two weeks – as advisers say more circuit breakers may be needed

Wales is imposing a “firebreak” lockdown for 17 days from 6pm on Friday, the Welsh government has announced – and its advisers have warned that “multiple” circuit breaks could be needed.

The new coronavirus lockdown will take Wales back to the restrictions introduced in March, with most businesses shutting, and people being told to stay at home and work from home where possible.

The measures include:

• Non-essential retail, leisure and hospitality businesses to close
• People told to work from home wherever possible, with exceptions for critical workers
• Household mixing banned both indoors and outdoors, although those in social bubbles will still be able to meet
• Primary schools open after the half-term week and secondary schools will open only to Year 7 and Year 8 pupils
• Places of worship to be closed except for weddings and funerals
• The circuit break will last until Monday 9 November

First Minister Mark Drakeford said the introduction of a new lockdown would deliver a “short, sharp shock”.

“It will have to be sharp and deep in order to have the impact we need,” he told reporters in Cardiff.

“Everyone in Wales will be required to stay at home. All non-essential businesses will have to close.”

• What is the science behind a circuit breaker – and have they worked elsewhere?
• 67% back circuit breaker, Sky News poll suggests
• Circuit breaker should happen, and repeat for other school holidays, scientists believe

Mr Drakeford said without the new measures, the NHS will not be able to cope and “even more people will die”.

“There are no easy choices in front of us as the virus spreads rapidly in every part of Wales,” he said.

A document published by the Welsh government’s Tactical Advisory Group (TAG) estimated the R number in Wales to be between 1.1 and 1.4.

And a report by Swansea University showed that with an R number of 1.4, Wales could see another 2,500 deaths by the end of the year. However, with a two-week circuit breaker lockdown, that modelling brings the number of deaths down to 1,540 in the same period.

The TAG report warned that Wales is tracking in line with its reasonable worst case scenario of about 18,000 people needing hospital treatment and 6,000 coronavirus-related deaths over the winter.

And it went on to advise that “multiple circuit breaks might be necessary to maintain low levels of incidents”.

He also announced a £300m economic resilience fund to help businesses through the shutdown.

Every business covered by the small business rate relief will receive a £1,000 payment.

Small and medium-sized retail, leisure and hospitality businesses that will be forced to shut their doors will be given a one-off payment of up to £5,000.

Household mixing will be banned both indoors and outdoors, although those in social bubbles will still be able to meet.

Primary schools will open after the half-term week and secondary schools will open only to Year 7 and Year 8 pupils, while university students will have to remain in their university accommodation.

Places of worship will be closed except for weddings and funerals.

Community centres, libraries and recycling centres will also close.

“There will be no gatherings with people you do not live with either indoors or outdoors during this two-week period,” Mr Drakeford said.

“There will continue to be an exception for adults living alone and single parents will continue to be able to join with one household for support.”

Last week, details of the lockdown were outlined in a letter to transport operators from John Pockett, director of the Confederation of Passenger Transport Cymru.

The letter, first published by political blogger Bubble Wales and verified by Sky News, said “pubs, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers etc – will all be closed”.

Catherine Radford from Chepstow on the border, where cases are nearly 14 times lower than in Cardiff, told Sky News: “The fact that there’s a time frame on it is very helpful because you can do certain amount of things for three weeks if you know that at the end of three weeks, it’s going to ease off again. But if it was indefinitely, it’s harder.”

Thirty miles west in Cardiff, where cases are highest in Wales, owner of Coffee Co cafe Justin Carty told Sky News: “It can only be disappointment, I think. Yet again the rules have changed. Yet again, the government’s introduced uncertainty and it seems that whatever we do, it’s never enough.

“Once a week, whether it’s UK government, Welsh government… the rules just never stop changing.”

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has already ordered schools to close for the next two weeks as well as banning most social gatherings and shutting many businesses for a month.

Watch and follow ‘Postcode Lockdown: A Divided Nation’ on Sky News from 9pm on Monday, as it examines which strategy is best for Britain

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Wales imposes ‘firebreak’ for two weeks – as advisers say more circuit breakers may be needed