Coronavirus: Wales to extend lockdown for another 3 weeks

The lockdown restrictions in Wales will remain in force for another three weeks, meaning non-essential businesses such as hair and beauty salons will remain closed.

First Minister Mark Drakeford is expected to extend the lockdown today to ‘allow the NHS to recover’.

The Welsh Government said that while the Covid-19 situation is “improving”, another three weeks of Level 4 restrictions are needed to help the healthcare services.

A statement said: “Rates of coronavirus across Wales have fallen below 200 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since early November. And every day, thousands more people receive their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine- the latest figures show almost 11% of the population have been vaccinated.”

Authorities review the situation every 21 days, and on Wednesday chief medical officer Dr Frank Atherton said a Wales-wide easing of lockdown restrictions is unlikely until the end of February at the earliest.

The Welsh Government will later reveal how a new £200m pot of funding will be spent to support businesses in the coming weeks.

Economy minister Ken Skates told Business Live: “The aim is to maintain a consistency of approach during the Level 4 Alert period so businesses can have that surety of being able to get through to the next financial year with Government support to the same degree they’ve had to date, should it be required.”

To read the Level 4 restrictions in Wales, please click here