23 December 2021
The First Minister of Wales announced strengthened measures for Wales which will come into effect on Boxing Day.
The following guidance relates to funerals and wakes:
- Funeral service rules are the same as previously; they are exempt from the limits set by venues and are based on a site specific risk assessment, and their ability to ensure 2m social distancing.
- However, to allow for the rule of 6 (see below), it is possible to allow for 2m physical distancing between groups of 6 people (excluding any carers or under 11s from those households) or individual families. 2ms must be kept between each group (of six or individual family). The group of six must agree to be part of a group of six too.
- Wakes, will also not have a cap in the regulations on numbers – with numbers being determined again by a site specific risk assessment and their ability to maintain social distancing. This distinction is made because of the importance of these events. The advice is that people attending should take a Lateral Flow Test on the day of the event and not attend if it is positive.
You can read the full details of the ‘Strengthened measures to keep Wales safe as omicron strikes’ on the Welsh Government website here.
Changes to self-isolation requirements in Wales were also announced with effect from 22 December 2021
Summary of the changes
- From 22 December, our position on self-isolation will change. All over 18s who are fully vaccinated (having received two full doses of an approved vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine) and children aged 5 to 17 will be asked to take lateral flow tests every day for 7 days if they are contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- They do not need to self-isolate unless they have a positive lateral flow test or develop symptoms. In either of these cases, they should book a PCR test as soon as possible.
- Anyone who meets the above criteria and is currently isolating as a contact can stop isolating on 22 December and use daily lateral flow tests instead. This includes anyone isolating as a contact of a confirmed or suspected Omicron case.
- Our position remains unchanged for unvaccinated adults who must continue to isolate for 10 days. Our position on children under 5 also remains unchanged and they are not required to self-isolate or test as contacts.
- These changes simplify our current approach to self-isolation. Anyone who is fully vaccinated or aged 5 to 17 can access daily contact testing instead of self-isolation, regardless of whether they are a household or close contact. This also removes our previous specific regulations on contacts of Omicron cases.
- The NHS Covid app will be updated in due course and additional messaging will be provided.
You can read the full self-isolation guidance on the Welsh Government website here.