‘No plans for more Covid passes’
WALES is still in a “critical” situation with Coronavirus but there are currently no plans to introduce Covid passes to more venues, a Welsh Government minister has said.
In the weekly Welsh Government press conference yesterday, finance minister Rebecca Evans said the cabinet was not yet looking at extending Covid Passes further despite the First Minister warning it was a possibility.
The latest review would normally take place on Friday with information released tomorrow evening. But this week it will be announced tonight.
At the last review, Mark Drakeford said venues should use the following three weeks to prepare.
He said at the time: “The hospitality industry needs to use the next three weeks to prepare for the possibility that Covid passes might need to be introduced in that setting.”
The rules were extended on Monday to include cinemas, theatres and concert halls.
Ms Evans was asked yesterday, in light of fluctuating case rates, under what circumstances passes would be introduced for hospitality venues.
Some venues have expressed concern in response to the First Minister’s warning they could be required in venues.
Ms Evans said she couldn’t give details of how such a scheme would be measured as there were not currently plans to introduce it.
“We have no immediate plans to introduce those Covid Passes more widely than they are at the moment.
“From [Monday], they’ve been extended to theatres to concert halls and to cinemas and there is an ongoing discussion with the hospitality sector more widely about what we can be doing to ensure that people are safe in those environments.
“But there’s no immediate plan that I’m able to talk about because there is no immediate plan to introduce such requirements.”
She also said that it was positive in terms of case numbers but added: “We are still in quite a critical situation and the amount of coronavirus in our community is still very high. So there’s lots of we also have to do individually and collectively to keep bottles and each other safe.”