A SECOND fire-break lockdown is likely in Wales in early January or February, a Welsh Government minister has warned.
Deputy Economy and Transport Minister, Lee Waters, said the current firebreak was unlikely to be the last in Wales – with England “expected” to follow.
Wales is currently in the middle of a two-week national lockdown to try and control the spread of coronavirus, he said.
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Sunday Supplement programme he said people should be prepared to come in and out of lockdowns until a Covid-19 vaccine is found.
He said: “This is not the last lockdown we are going to see the projections we published in a worst case scenario show it’s likely we are going to need another firebreak in January or
February.”
He added that Wales is now witnessing a second peak, with critical care admissions increasing by 57% this week alone, and that was why the Welsh Government has introduced this “short, sharp” intervention.”
Plaid Cymru said it was vital the test and trace system was improved during this firebreak to break the cycle of “devastating” national lockdowns.
“It is concerning to hear talk of plans for future firebreaks at the start of this reset,” said shadow health minister Rhun ap Iorwerth.
“If the Welsh Government puts effective measures in place over the next fortnight, a new strategy for the months ahead, it should be aiming to avoid having to return to these tight nationwide restrictions.
“Ministers must resolve the issues within the test, trace, support and isolate system to enable the newly adopted zero-Covid strategy to be successfully implemented.”
Meanwhile, a 28-year-old man has been charged with criminal damage and contravention of coronavirus regulations after allegedly being filmed removing plastic from items in a Tesco store.
Gwilym Owen, 28, will appear before magistrates on November 24 following the incident in the Bangor Tesco Extra store on Friday.
North Wales Police said Owen, from Anglesey, has been further charged with several public order offences.
Owen allegedly posted the video of himself on his Facebook account. A man is heard saying “since when has clothes been exempt?”, “rip the f***ers off!” and “kids’ f***ing clothes, it is a disgrace.”
As staff attempt to challenge the man and to stop him, he swore at them. He can be heard saying: “Since when have clothes been non-essential?”
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “Under new restrictions set out by the Welsh Government, we are currently unable to sell ‘non-essential’ items in our stores.
“Our colleagues have worked hard to put these measures in place and we ask that customers please respect these restrictions.”
Despite a petition which has now more than 50,000 signatures, The Welsh Government said: “We are not reviewing the requirements for supermarkets not to sell non-essentials we are going to review how it’s working in practice. Clearly there are some bumps.”
On the Andrew Marr Show, Labour’s health minister, Vaughan Gething also confirmed that the Welsh Government’s ban on the sale of non-essential items in supermarkets will also remain in place.
