Visit Wales Industry News

News for the Tourism Industry in Wales

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14 September 2020

REMINDER AND GUIDANCE: Further constraints on meeting socially and compulsory face coverings to help prevent new coronavirus crisis

Following Friday’s announcements from the First Minister (11 September) - read in full: Further constraints on meeting socially and compulsory face coverings to help prevent new coronavirus crisis  - updated guidance has been published:

• A list of frequently asked questions is currently being updated. Please check back regularly for the latest information.
• Face coverings: guidance on measures to be taken by employers and managers of premises
• Face coverings guidance for the general public
• Guidance on extended households: coronavirus

Face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public places across Wales as of today (Monday 14 September) as rules are tightened to prevent a fresh coronavirus crisis.

First Minister Mark Drakeford announced on Friday a new limit on the number of people who can meet indoors as evidence shows indoor gatherings are the main source of transmission for the virus in Wales.

From today, it will be compulsory for people over 11 to wear a face covering in public indoor spaces, such as shops. There are exemptions for people who cannot wear face coverings for health or medical reasons, similar to those for public transport.

Face coverings will not be required in pubs or restaurants for the time being but the Welsh Government is carrying out a rapid review of the evidence about whether they should be extended to the hospitality sector.

The rules on face coverings are being changed because of an increase in the overall incidence rate of new cases of coronavirus in Wales, which indicates there is a serious risk of the virus spreading more widely once again.

From today, only a maximum of six people from the extended household are able to meet indoors at any one time. This rule applies in pubs and restaurants as well as in people’s homes. Children under 11 will not be counted in the six.

However, this will not apply in Caerphilly County Borough Council area where stricter local restrictions have been introduced to control a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and protect public health – extended households are no longer allowed and no social meetings with anyone you don’t live with are allowed. This applies in pubs and restaurants as well as in people’s homes.

Ministers are also giving local authorities new powers to close premises on public health grounds to tackle the spread of the virus.

Other useful COVID-19 Guidance links, downloadable assets and toolkits for your business

We realise that it’s sometimes hard to keep up with what is available – the links below will help you find what practical resources and toolkits are there to help you.

• A wedding reception can be held subject to the cap of 30 people, both indoors and outdoors. The guidance for local authorities, approved premises and places of worship on marriages and civil partnerships is online and includes links to operational risk assessment considerations for wedding venues and those hosting wedding events.
• Tourism and Hospitality Guidance for Safe Reopening  is available to help tourism and hospitality businesses safely re-open during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Additional guidance has also been produced and updated in consultation with the Hospitality sector for Pubs, Bars, Cafes and Restaurants re-opening indoors and outdoors, which can be viewed on the UK Hospitality website. 
• Keep Wales Safe at Work: Legal Guidance / Workplace Guidance and Toolkits & Resources.
• Keep Wales Safe general resources including posters to download
• Trace Test Protect toolkit and resources including Record keeping
• UK Local restrictions: information for areas with an outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) on Gov.UK.
• Visit Wales Safely assets including an industry guide, and downloads including posters to help share the Addo (Wales’ Promise) messages and also a specific collection of images that have been carefully selected to reflect open spaces and social distancing. (If it’s the first time that you’ve used the site, it will only take a 1 minute sign up for you to register – as well as the above it gives you access to a huge library of free images and other information).  Use #Addo #VisitWalesSafely in conjunction with the UK wide #EscapeTheEveryday (Visit Wales are working on this domestic autumn campaign with delivery partners VisitEngland).

Stay up to date with tourism industry news

We are committed to providing the support and assurance the business community needs during these unprecedented difficult times and have issued several Coronavirus (COVID-19) related bulletins which can be found on the Tourism Industry Coronavirus (COVID-19) Bulletins page. 

Business Wales is providing businesses with tailored support and advice about dealing with coronavirus, from financial and supply chain planning to advice on staffing issues. We would advise Tourism businesses and stakeholders in Wales wanting specific guidance to visit the Business Wales website or call Business Wales helpline on 03000 6 03000, and to regularly visit the Public Health Wales website for up-to-date public health information for you, your staff and your visitors.

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