Changes to the few coronavirus restrictions left in Wales have been announced with news that Covid passes are to be scrapped and the requirement to wear face coverings in certain venues removed later this month.
The changes will be confirmed on Friday during the first three-week review of Wales' alert level zero measures. Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, will appear at the press conference in Cardiff in the place of First Minister Mark Drakeford, who has tested positive for coronavirus, You can follow live updates from the 12.15pm briefing here.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said vaccination levels and decreasing infection rates mean the country can "look forward to brighter times ahead".
The key dates he has announced are:
Friday, February 18
- Covid passes will no longer be required for entry into indoor or outdoor events and venues, including nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and concert halls. But events and venues will be able to continue to use it if they choose to.
- The international Covid pass rules will remain in force.
Monday, February 28
- The requirement to wear face coverings will be removed from most indoor public places, including gyms, cinemas and churches.
- They will remain in retail, public transport and health and care settings.
Schools will return to using their local decision framework, meaning rules will vary from area to area.
The guidance is to be updated to make it clear adults should be able to remove their face masks when interacting with babies and small children at baby and toddler groups.
The legal requirement to wear face coverings in all remaining settings could be lifted by the end of March, Mr Drakeford has said.
But the self-isolation rules currently in place in Wales will remain in force, meaning anyone who tests positive with Covid-19 still has to remain at home for five full days and take a negative lateral flow test on days five and six.
This is different to England where all Covid regulations are set to be abolished in two weeks.
He signalled that face masks could be scrapped completely by the end of March should public health conditions continue to improve.
A plan will be published next month setting out how Wales will move beyond "the emergency footing on which we have been operating for nearly two years", Mr Drakeford added.
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The First Minister said: "With increasing numbers of people vaccinated and boosted and thanks to the hard work and efforts of everyone across Wales, we are confident that coronavirus rates are falling and we can look forward to brighter times ahead.
"We can start to gradually and carefully remove some of the remaining protections we have in place at alert level zero.
"But we are not removing all the measures at once because the pandemic is not over yet.
"To keep Wales safe we need to remain cautious and do everything we can to reassure those who feel most at risk."
The next review of the coronavirus regulations will take place on March 3.
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