Wales to be hit with new COVID-19 lockdown measures from Christmas Eve

New lockdown measures will be taking effect in Wales from the end of trading on Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December, for all non-essential shops, leisure and fitness centres and “close contact services”.

Wales First Minister, Mark Drakeford, made the announcement which will also see all hospitality premises, including pubs and restaurants, close from 6pm on Christmas Day.

The news comes as it has also been revealed that Wales is slashing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s three household mixing limit for Christmas to two in the new “bubble chaos.”

Meanwhile in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is banning overnight stays and is telling families to meet for just one day over Christmas. That’s despite the Prime Minister claiming a unanimous UK-wide backing for his plan for a five-day relaxation rule on current restrictions, set to be 23-27 December.

Coming in to effect on 28 December for the whole of Wales, tighter control on household mixing, travel and holiday accommodation will apply, in what are being called “level 4” restrictions.

According to the report, Drakeford said more than 2,100 people are in Welsh hospitals with COVID-19 symptoms. Additionally, the number of people in intensive care with coronavirus is at the highest level during this “second wave”, at 98 people.

In a stark reminder of the first lockdown in March, Drakeford is also urging “everyone who can work from home to do so now.”