Covid in Wales: groups of 30 allowed to meet outdoors as lockdown rules eased

Groups of up to 30 people will be allowed to meet outdoors in Wales from Monday (7 June) as Covid restrictions are further lifted.

The country will begin a phased transition to alert Level 1 from that date, meaning up to three households will be able to meet indoors and large organised events - from concerts to football matches - will resume for up to 10,000 people seated.

But the Welsh Government said an increase in the number of people able to meet indoors in homes or at events will not go ahead until at least late June, allowing for more people to be vaccinated.

The relaxation comes amid “growing concern” about the spread of the Delta variant first identified in India.

Pandemic ‘not yet over’

First Minister Mark Drakeford said the emergence of the variant showed the pandemic was “not yet over” and that steps must continue to be taken to reduce transmission.

He said: “The risk of infection is significantly less outdoors than it is indoors. This is why we are phasing in the changes in this three-week cycle.

“This will allow more people to enjoy events outdoors and take advantage of the Welsh summer, while we continue to roll out the vaccination programme to all adults.”

Should cases remain low, more people will be allowed to attend outdoor and indoor events, the rule of six for meeting indoors in private homes will return, and ice rinks will reopen, the Welsh Government said.

Organisers planning events from Monday must undertake a full risk assessment and put in place measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The seven-day coronavirus case rate remains “very low” in Wales, while more than 85% of the population has had one dose of the vaccine and 45% has had both, the Government said.

However, there are some 97 cases of the Indian variant in the country, including a cluster in Conwy, north west Wales.