The rules that now apply to residents of Caerphilly
More detailed advice has been issued about what the Caerphilly lockdown, which came into force last night, means for schools, businesses and vulnerable people. Acting Political editor Will Hayward reports
ALOCAL lockdown in the county borough of Caerphilly will not be lifted until October “at the very least”, Wales’ health minister has said.
Vaughan Gething had already announced that:
■ People will not be allowed to enter or leave the Caerphilly County Borough Council area without a reasonable excuse;
■ everyone over 11 will be required to wear face coverings in indoor premises open to the public, such as shops (though there are limited exemptions for people with disabilities and medical conditions); and
■ people will only be able to meet outdoors – people will not be able to meet other people from other households indoors for the time being. People will also not be able to form an extended household with another household (this is sometimes known as “bubbles”).
This left people with a lot of unanswered questions and further details released yesterday by the Welsh Government sought to clarify the confusion.
Here are the details...
■ Travel to and from Caerphilly
Travel restrictions mean people cannot enter or leave the Caerphilly County Borough area without a reasonable excuse – a reasonable excuse includes travelling to work, if you are unable to work from home; travelling to and from school if it is outside the borough; or making a compassionate visit to a loved one or to give care.
Those living in the Caerphilly County Borough area should not leave the area to do anything they could be reasonably expected to be able to do within the area. Similarly, those living outside the area should not enter the area to do anything they could be reasonably be expected to be able to do outside the area.
People who live in the Caerphilly County Borough area must work from home unless it not reasonably practicable to do so.
If you are unable to work from home, you should maintain the physical distancing rules at your workplace – these are in place for all workplaces in Wales. This includes keeping 2m apart and washing your hands regularly. Your employer is obliged to do whatever they reasonably can to keep you and others safe.
■ Meeting people
If you live in the Caerphilly County Borough area, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus you should not:
■ Host people from any other households in your home. This is because extended households (or “bubbles”) are no longer allowed for people living in the area;
■ visit people you do not live with in their home, no matter where that is;
■ meet anyone from outside your own household in any indoor hospitality setting, such as pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants.
But you can still meet people from other households outdoors in gardens or public outdoor areas, but it is important you maintain a 2m distance at all times to protect yourself and others.
■ Face coverings
Everyone over the age of 11 must wear face coverings while in shops and any other indoor public place, unless they are eating or drinking there. This is in addition to the legal requirement that already applies across Wales to wear face coverings on public transport.
■ Business and other venues
Businesses in Caerphilly County Borough area remain open, but all reasonable measures must be taken to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus in the workplace.
■ Shared parenting
Children whose parents do not live in the same home can continue to move between homes, whether inside or outside the affected area. A parent includes a person who has parental responsibilities for, or cares for a child.
■ Extended households
You should not visit or meet anyone who is not part of your household (ie you do not live with them) indoors. This includes in places such as pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants.
The rules allowing people to form an extended household have been suspended for the time being in Caerphilly County Borough area to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect people’s health.
■ Care and support
People who are providing care or essential support, such as delivering shopping, can continue to make visits, but they should pay attention to all hygiene and social distancing precautions.
Regulated care providers can still enter a home to provide health and social care to those who need it.
These visits should be subject to a risk assessment as well as ensuring social distancing. It may be appropriate for face coverings to be worn. Formal and informal childcare arrangements can continue if this is necessary, but informal unregulated childcare should only be used when no other methods are available. Adults should not go inside any households other than their own.
■ People previously advised to shield
Shielding in Wales was paused on August 16 and is not being reinstated at this time.
According to the Welsh Government, if you were previously shielding you should strictly follow physical distancing and hygiene measures and you may also want to think about the levels of risk associated with work and daily activities. The latest Welsh Government advice is that they will write directly to everyone who was previously asked to shield in this area if this changes and you are needed to ask you to shield again.
■ Schools and education
Schools and early learning or childcare settings are not affected by these measures and remain open.
■ Hospital visiting
Indoor visits to hospitals should be limited to protect the most vulnerable. Visits to hospitals in affected areas and by residents living in affected areas to other hospitals, is restricted to essential visits only.
Visits are limited to:
■ A birth partner during childbirth;
■ for a person receiving end-of-life care;
■ supporting someone with a mental health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed;
■ accompanying a child in hospital; and/or
■ care home visiting.
■ Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality settings
Hospitality businesses, such as pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants, in the Caerphilly County Borough area will remain open for now, but this is being kept under review.
You are not allowed to meet people outside your household in a cafe, pub, bar or restaurant – this was already the legal position, except that meeting people from an extended household was allowed.
■ Places of worship, marriages, civil partnerships and funerals
At this stage, no changes have been made to the operation of places of worship.
Marriages and civil partnership ceremonies and small receptions can take place in the Caerphilly County Borough area, but guests from outside the area are not allowed to attend the reception.
Those living in the area can leave the area if invited to attend a wedding ceremony outside the area but not to attend the wedding reception.
Those living within the Caerphilly County Borough area can attend a funeral and a small wake in the area, and leave the area to attend a funeral, but not the wake. Similarly, those from outside the area can attend a funeral in the area, but not the wake.
■ Tradespeople and mobile services
Workers can continue to go into a person’s home to carry out work such as repairs, installations and deliveries. Such visits should be subject to a risk assessment, as well as ensuring social distancing and hand hygiene is followed at all times.