The First Minister has confirmed that Wales will enter a “fire break”

The First Minister has confirmed that Wales will enter a “fire break”

The First Minister has confirmed that Wales will enter a “fire break” lockdown at 6pm on Friday the 23rd October. This period will continue until the 9th of November. The Welsh Government is asking everyone in Wales to stay at home as much as possible. 

Exercise outdoors can continue, but it should start and end at home unless individuals have mobility or disability issues that require them to travel away from home to exercise. Exercise must only be undertaken with people you live with. Gatherings outdoors for group exercise will be prohibited.

The full regulations are available on the Welsh Government website here.

Extensive FAQs are available on the Welsh Government website, including sections on sport and exercise: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-circuit-break-frequently-asked-questions

 The key messages are that:

• This is a “stay at home order”, people are expected to stay at home as much as possible.
• People must work from home where possible. Only critical workers should work as normal.
• All businesses such as retail, hospitality, leisure, except “essential retail” will close, similar to the position in April.
• Licensed childcare premises may stay open. Primary school will return as normal after half term on November 2nd, with year 7 & 8 also returning to school on that date. Years 9, 10 and 11 will return to school on the 9 November.
• All gatherings with people outside of your immediate household will not be permitted, whether indoors or outdoors.
• Exercise should start and end at home (unless there are mobility issues).
• No specific form of exercise is prohibited, and there are no constraints on duration/distance, however there are practical limits on what people may do imposed by the stay at home order and the closure of some businesses.
• Professional Sport can continue on the basis that this is “work”.
• The period is strictly time limited to two weeks.
• There are further funds being released by the Welsh Government to businesses affected, payment of some of these funds will be automatic.
• The Welsh Government has created an extra Economic Resilience Fund of almost £300 million and an extra £150 million is being put into Phase 3 of the ERF. Every business covered by the small business rate relief will get a £1,000 payment while SME retail, leisure, hospitality and tourism businesses will receive a one off payment of up to £5,000. Funds will open in the first week of the fire breaker. All businesses required to close will also be able to access the support available through the UK Government.

We continue to work with Welsh Government and Sport Wales on the firebreak and post-firebreak landscape for sport.

If you are a member of the WSA and would like to be added to our Advocacy Groups including the Phased Return to Sport groups, please contact the team via the WSA Contact form.  You can also subscribe to the WSA newsletter for News & sector Vacancies.