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Wales Online
Wales Online
Politics
Ruth Mosalski

Covid passes no longer have to be used in Wales

Covid passes no longer need to be used in Wales from Friday, February 18.

From midnight the legal requirement to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to visit indoor or outdoor events and venues, including nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and concert halls will have ended, but events and venues will be able to continue to use it if they choose to.

The international Covid Pass will continue to be needed for international travel. Travellers will need to check the relevant countries’ rules for entry, including any different requirements for children, according to advice from the Welsh Government.

Read more: Latest Covid figures for Wales

The Welsh Government's deputy minister for arts and sport, Dawn Bowden, said: "When it was introduced, the Covid Pass was part of a suite of measures to give people confidence, keep businesses open and to keep Wales safe. I’d like to thank all the sectors for their cooperation and feedback during this challenging time.

"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."

The passes have been controversial with businesses criticising their introduction. There have also been questions about how their success was measured. Nightclub owners in particular were concerned about how the rules applied to their venues compared to, say, a pub which plays music and where people dance.

A Freedom of Information request was sent to Welsh Government asking for "any and all data that Welsh Government have used to develop the restrictions announced on December 16 and 17, 2021. This should include but not be limited to: a. Statistical information regarding numbers of Covid cases developed from nightclubs b. Statistical information surrounding rates of transmission from businesses to be impacted by the one way system rule. c. Minutes of the meeting and all those in attendance held on December 16 by Welsh Government regarding the restrictions".

The response to the first two questions was: "This information is not available. There is no guarantee about where someone caught Covid-19, therefore there is no data on cases caught in specific locations."

The Welsh Conservatives have opposed the use of Covid passes. Shadow health minister Russell George MS said they "totally failed" and that they were "coercive, ineffective, costly, and unproven".

"Far from being worthwhile, they were harmful and disruptive."

Find out about coronavirus cases in your area:

In the last review of Covid reviews, held on October 10, Wales' First Minister said that from February 28, people would no longer need to wear face coverings in all indoor places. However masks will still be required in shops, health and care facilities and public transport. If cases continue to fall, the Welsh Government hopes to lift all masks rules by the end of March. You can read his comments here.

The latest infection rate based on PCR tests for the seven days up to February 12 now stands at 299.9 cases for every 100,000 people – a reduction from the 309.2 cases recorded on Wednesday. It's the first time the infection rate has gone below 300 since August, 2021. The infection rate based on PCR tests is only a guide to the spread of Covid in Wales, however, as it does not include lateral flow test results, which are reported weekly in Wales. People with no symptoms who test positive on an LFT no longer need a confirmatory PCR test.

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