BBC News
Published
media captionHow do people in Barry intend to spend their Christmas?
The first minister of Wales says he will not lightly put aside an agreement for relaxed coronavirus rules over Christmas.
Pressure is growing on the four UK governments to reconsider plans to allow three households to meet between 23 and 27 December.
But Mark Drakeford said harm would be done in either direction .
Politicians from Mr Drakeford s own Welsh Labour party have expressed concern over the relaxed rules, while Plaid Cymru called for the rules to be reviewed.
Plaid leader Adam Price called for urgent consideration of a level 4 lockdown in areas of Wales with high Covid rates before 28 December.
Intensive care doctor pleads with health minister to lock down before Christmas
Dr Richard Pugh said critical care staff in the NHS won t cope without intervention at the highest level
Updated
The video will auto-play soon8Cancel
Play now
Wales Online -
Subscribe
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. OurPrivacy Noticeexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
A leading consultant in intensive care has urged the Welsh Government to consider introducing a Wales-wide lockdown before Christmas in a bid to save lives.
First published on Tue 15 Dec 2020 10.55 EST
A growing number of experts and politicians are urging the government to rethink plans to relax Covid restrictions over Christmas. They include:
Scientists
Many are warning that allowing three households to gather for five days will inevitably lead to a rise in infections, a surge in hospital cases, and unnecessary deaths.
Prof Andrew Hayward, the director of the UCL institute of epidemiology and healthcare, who has contributed to meetings of the governmentâs Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), has said that to continue with the easing of restrictions would be âthrowing fuel on the Covid fireâ.
The new coronavirus variant is present in Wales - morning headlines
The new mutation of Covid-19 has been linked to a rapid increase in the spread of the virus in the south of England
07:45, 15 DEC 2020
Updated
The video will auto-play soon8Cancel
Play now
Wales Online -
Subscribe
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
A mutated variation of Covid-19 which has been linked to a rapid increase in coronavirus in the south of England is also present in Wales, the Welsh Government has confirmed.
Two of the UK s most respected medical journals call for plans to relax Covid restrictions over Christmas to be reversed We believe the government is about to blunder into another major error that will cost many lives
The video will auto-play soon8Cancel
Play now
Wales Online -
Subscribe
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
Many lives will be lost unless plans to relax coronavirus restrictions over Christmas are scrapped, a rare joint editorial from two of the UK s most eminent medical journals has warned.