Wales and its non-essential retailers emerge from lockdown

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Nov 9, 2020

Wales emerged from its 17-day 'firebreak' lockdown Monday morning with store retailers hoping that consumers’ pent-up demand to shop will translate into a speedy return to some sort of trading normality.

All stores deemed non-essential will be opening their doors while supermarkets will also be reopening aisles that were controversially cordoned off in the lockdown.

Wales' restrictions ends just a few days after England’s four-week lockdown started and those across the border will be keeping a close eye on how the reopening is managed.

But with the retail release came a warning from Wales’ first minister that people cannot "go back to the way we were living our lives and throw away all that hard work”.

Two-metre social distancing returns alongside wearing face masks in enclosed public places, including on public transport and taxis.

Although there will be no restrictions to travel within Wales, people will only be allowed to leave the country for reasons such as work.

Meanwhile, people should work from home whenever possible.

First minister Mark Drakeford said: "We all need to think about our own lives and what we can all do to keep our families safe. We need to stop thinking about the maximum limit of rules and regulations. Coronavirus is a highly infectious virus - it thrives on contact between people. To keep each other safe we need to reduce the number of people we have contact with and the amount of time we spend with them.

"There will be a new set of national measures from today, which will follow up all the hard work and sacrifices which have been made during the firebreak.