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The new strain of coronavirus in parts of England is also behind an increase in cases in Wales, the country’s health minister told Sky News.
Vaughan Gething says that new variant was “seeded directly Welsh“and” cannot be ignored.
Level 4 restrictions in Wales: in accordance with Level 4 rules in England – went into effect on Sunday, while plans to allow five days of relaxed restrictions allowing up to two families to form a holiday bubble have been halted and will now only apply to Christmas Day.
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The health minister says the new measures would be reviewed in three weeks
Gething also said that the decision to place the country immediately on lockdown before Christmas It was due to information that the new strain was causing the virus to spread more quickly.
“It was a very difficult cabinet meeting yesterday because we understand that the impact of these decisions will be very real for many families across the country and it is an impact that will not be distributed evenly,” he said.
“But in reality, if we don’t act, we will see much greater damage.”
On the change of position for Christmas, he added that “he has always said that we may have to behave differently in the future,” suggesting that it was difficult to predict.
He continued: “I have never given absolute guarantees that there will be no movement away from anything, because coronavirus it will make a mug of you if you try to do that.
“The virus does not care in particular, it has no feelings. It only seeks to reproduce and continue and that will hurt each of us, so we all have options to make.”
“We have to make decisions about what we do, what we do with other people.
“So I appeal to everyone, the government and the NHS cannot do this on our own.
“We need all families in Wales to play their part.”
Staff remove Christmas decorations in central Cardiff
In a statement Saturday, Wales Medical Director Dr Frank Atherton said there was “rapidly emerging” evidence that the new variant appeared to be “significantly more transmissible than the wild-type virus.”
He also said that despite a small sample size, a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the new variant could be responsible for up to 60% of new infections in Wales.
Dr. Atherton added: “Emerging public health councils suggest that the new variant is at least contributing and possibly driving this growth rate.
“Given the risk of continued high growth, to contain the damage of the pandemic and prevent already depleted NHS resources from being overwhelmed, Tier 4 measures will need to be introduced as soon as possible.”
When asked about when the toughest measures could be lifted, Gething said they would be reviewed “after three weeks.”
“I would be surprised if after three weeks we are in a position where all of Wales could break out of level four, because our rates are extraordinarily high,” he warned.
“There are over 600 cases per 100,000 across Wales, so we will have to review where we are after three weeks, we will make a decision.
“We will be clear to the public about whatever that choice is, but I don’t think people should plan for the whole country to get out of level four in three weeks.”
