Gyms, spas and leisure centres to reopen on Monday
GYMS, fitness facilities and community centres have officially been given the green light to open from Monday. Extended households will be able to meet indoors, allowing two households to come together to form an exclusive bubble, and organised children’s indoor activities can restart.
Welsh Government confirmed the changes yesterday as the current coronavirus infection rate in Wales now stands at 12 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days up to April 24, the lowest rate in the UK. So, from Monday: gyms, fitness facilities, leisure centres, spas and swimming-pools can reopen;
extended households will be possible, allowing two households to come together to form an exclusive bubble who can meet and have contact indoors;
organised children’s indoor activities can recommence, such as sporting, cultural and wider recreational groups and clubs;
children’s birthday parties, or wider gatherings of families and friends in private homes are still not allowed;
organised indoor activities for adults can also recommence for up to 15 people, including exercise classes and swimming lessons; and community centres can reopen.
This means Wales will have completed the move to Alert Level 3 by Bank Holiday Monday.
Mr Drakeford said: “The public health situation continues to improve and our vaccination programme remains a success. Thanks to the efforts of people across Wales, we are in a position to further ease the restrictions, in the way we have previously signalled, to allow more elements of normal life to return.
“However, the virus has not gone away. We all still need to take those vitally important steps, that we are now all so familiar with, to protect ourselves and each other from this dreadful virus.
“By self-isolating if we have symptoms, by taking up the offer of a Covid vaccine, washing our hands regularly, wearing a face covering in enclosed public spaces, following social-distancing rules, limiting the number of people we meet socially outdoors, and only meeting with those we live with indoors. By working together, by following these rules, the quicker we will return to normality. Together, we will continue to keep Wales safe.”
The next review of the coronavirus restrictions is due by Thursday, May 13.
If cases continue to remain low, it has been indicated that indoor hospitality could be allowed to start reopening on Monday, May 17.
LATEST Welsh Government statistics show just how far we have come in tackling coronavirus in our communities.
In the last seven days, an average of just 15 people a day were admitted to Welsh hospitals with confirmed or suspected Covid-19.
The figures have not been this low since they were first compiled at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
At the very height of the winter peak it was not uncommon for 10 times that many people to be coming through the hospital doors over a 24-hour period.
Similarly, the number of beds being occupied by Covid patients has come down substantially. Latest data shows there are now only 57 people with “confirmed” coronavirus in hospitals across Wales.
To put this into context, NHS staff were dealing with upwards of 1,600 confirmed coronavirus patients during late December and January and were struggling to cope with the excessive workload.
But arguably the most obvious sign of improvement is the number of patients now needing the highest levels of treatment and breathing support in critical care.
At present only four – yes, four – coronavirus patients are in invasive ventilated beds across all acute hospital sites in Wales. That is a phenomenal improvement on the 164 seen in the April 2020 peak.
With these positive figures in mind, the Welsh Government has made the right decision to start freeing up sections of society once again. This week saw the reopening of outdoor hospitality, and gyms, leisure centres and fitness facilities will follow on Monday, as will children’s soft play centres and community centres.
But NHS staff are acutely aware that they will be presented with a whole range of challenges in the weeks and months ahead.
They will be contending with an overwhelming waiting list of nonurgent cases, which has now soared beyond 500,000, and they are likely to see an influx of patients into A&E as the pubs and bars welcome back customers.
Yes, Covid patients in critical care will likely reach zero in the next fortnight – and that is something to be celebrated – but critical care capacity is still exceeding normal levels with predominantly non-Covid cases. We must keep this in mind and treat the easing of lockdown with the caution our doctors and nurses deserve. Noone wants the number of Covid cases to rise again to add to such pressures so please stay safe as restrictions ease.