We are not falling behind England, First Minister insists
REOPENING non-essential shops is one of the key areas being considered by the Welsh Government in its latest review of lockdown measures, the First Minister confirmed yesterday.
Retailers are hoping for a boost when Mark Drakeford is expected to reveal the latest changes to the nation’s coronavirus lockdown restrictions later this week.
His comments at the daily briefing in Cardiff follow previous hints that non-essential shops could re-open on from June 22, after he told them nearly three weeks ago to prepare for opening with social distancing rules in place.
And as a range of shops, including clothes shops, opened their doors for the first time in months in England yesterday, he insisted Wales was “not falling further behind” its neighbour.
In a separate development, it also emerged that Mr Drakeford has not spoken with Prime Minister Boris Johnson for almost three weeks.
Meanwhile, Mr Drakeford said this week’s review of lockdown measures in Wales will “look at a package of measures in three main areas”:
■ Re-opening non-essential shops where social distancing can be maintained;
■ Re-opening schools from June 29 to allow pupils to “check in” ahead of the autumn term; and
■ Relaxing further restrictions on more outdoor activity.
Restrictions are being reviewed on Thursday with the decisions expected to be made public on Friday.
Asked about the possibility of nonessential shops reopening, Mr Drakeford said he wanted to thank them for everything they have done to prepare for the possibility of reopening.
“That means we are a very big step ahead,” he said.
He said the Welsh Government is hoping to be able to offer this reopening option on Friday, if shops are safe for staff and customers.
At present, he said, there is still information to be had and the view of the chief medical officer to be secured.
However, he said Wales is in a better place than at previous points in this cycle and he hoped workers in the non-essential retail sector would take some comfort from that.
When quizzed about whether Wales’ economy might fall behind England’s as it eases lockdown measures more slowly, Mr Drakeford said: “We are not falling further behind.”
“I am with those very many economists who argue that a reliable move out of lockdown in which we do not take the risk of coronavirus circulating again is the best for the economy as well,” he said, adding that a “stopstart” approach risking doing too much too soon was not the right approach.
His comments came just days after economy minister Ken Skates set out a timetable of how shops, tourist businesses, and other parts of the economy could re-open.
And last week, Mr Drakeford called for the public to be patient for one more week.
Tourist businesses and restaurants are among those pushing for more clarity on the easing of lockdown, warning they are being forced to make major decisions about the future of their businesses with no clarity about
the future.
Several key changes to lockdown restrictions in parts of the UK mean that the restrictions in each of the four nations are now very different.
Further lockdown easing for England started yesterday with England and Wales now on largely different paths.
Some couples kept apart by lockdown restrictions in England were able to reunite from Saturday as part of the Mr Johnson’s plan for “support bubbles” allowing adults living alone or single parents to mix with one other household.
All shops, zoos and safari parks in England were able to open again yesterday while places of worship in England will be allowed to open for individual prayer from this weekend.
In Northern Ireland it was announced on Thursday that all shops can re-open on Friday and “support bubbles” can also be formed.
In Wales it remains that people from two different households can arrange to meet in parks and gardens.
The First Minister said in the past 24 hours “just over 30” new cases of coronavirus had been confirmed in Wales but even as the numbers dropped Wales will “continue to take [its] cautious approach this week”.
He added: “We continue on our gradual path to relaxing the coronavirus restrictions.”
Asked why Wales is not making more easements as the so-called “R-rate” (the reproductive value of the virus) drops, Mr Drakeford said the R-rate continues to drop because of the way we are doing things.
It is a sign of success, he said.
“I want to take maximum advantage of the headroom we have while it remains within the bounds of safe public health practice,” he said.
He added that this is why the Government will ask the chief medical officer to give his view of the package of measures that the cabinet agrees.
“That’s the approach we’ve taken at every review and it’s the approach I intend to take at this one as well,” he said.
But he warned that while the number of cases was continuing to fall and some restrictions will be lifted later this week, “this will not mean a return to the pre-pandemic normal”.
He added: “The virus has not gone away. There is still a risk that we will face a second wave of illness later this year.”
Mr Drakeford also revealed he had not spoken to Prime Minister Boris Johnson since May 28.
In response to a question from the Echo, the First Minister said: “I last
I last spoke to the Prime Minister two weeks ago last Thursday, which is nearly three weeks ago