From 18 February, the legal requirement to show a Covid Pass for entry into indoor or outdoor events and venues including nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and concert halls, will be dropped. However, event organisers and venues will be able to continue to ask for Covid Passes if they choose to.
The changes will be confirmed today (11 February), following the first three-week review of Wales’ 'Alert Level Zero' measures.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “With increasing numbers of people vaccinated and boosted and thanks to the hard work and efforts of everyone across Wales, we are confident that coronavirus rates are falling and we can look forward to brighter times ahead.
“We can start to gradually and carefully remove some of the remaining protections we have in place at alert level zero. But we are not removing all the measures at once because the pandemic is not over yet.”
From Monday 28 February, the requirement to wear face coverings will be removed from most indoor public places, apart from in retail, public transport and health and care settings.
If the public health conditions continue to improve, the legal requirement to wear face coverings in all remaining settings could be lifted by the end of March.
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said the new relaxations will see businesses finally able to plan for the future with some level of certainty.
“Businesses have welcomed the announcement, with many suggesting these unfounded restrictions have gone on way too long,” he said.
“It will not go without notice that the actions of the Welsh Government are still subject to a call by our members for evidence to substantiate the closure of nightclubs over and above other businesses.”
Kill added that a recent release of Freedom of Information request submitted by the NTIA will be released shortly, and will present some evidential challenges for the Welsh Government within the public inquiry into this crisis.