Plaid Cymru calls for local lockdown blueprint

The Welsh Government should provide a clear strategy on local lockdowns so that the public understands the early warning signs, Plaid Cymru has said.

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru Shadow Health Minister has said people should be able to have confidence that emergency responses are happening as quickly as possible. Mr ap Iorwerth said that “we all want to avoid new lockdowns if possible” but that a clear blueprint from the Welsh Government was needed on local lockdowns where they are deemed necessary, so that the public is fully aware before further lockdowns are imposed.

Local lockdown has been imposed on Caerphilly County Borough Council, and includes a requirement for everyone over the age of 11 to wear a face covering in shops.

Mr ap Iorwerth also renewed calls to make the wearing of face masks compulsory in shops, to help prevent lockdown in other areas of Wales.

Currently face coverings are not compulsory in shops in any other part of  Wales. With rising infection rates in other county boroughs, Mr ap Iorwerth says it “makes sense to enforce the use of face coverings before the next spike.”

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru Shadow Health Minister says:

“We all want to avoid new lockdowns if possible, but the Welsh Government must publish their local lockdown strategy – what is their early warning system, who makes the call and who is responsible for enforcing the rules? This should be sensitive to differences between communities in different parts of Wales.

“With the relaxing of restrictions, there has to be clearer enforcement of the basics, including social distancing, hand washing and – of course, the wearing of face masks. And without a clear guide for the alarm bells to watch for, the public did not have fair warning that a local lockdown could be imposed.

“Face masks should have been part of keeping us safe. They’re a preventative measure to limit transmission. And with rising infection rates in other county boroughs, the wearing of face coverings should be made compulsory in all shops in Wales at once. It makes no sense to only make it mandatory after a spike in cases has been confirmed.”