Local lockdowns possible if evidence of community transmission – FM

The Welsh Government will consider imposing a lockdown in areas such as Anglesey and Wrexham where there have been large outbreaks of coronavirus, but only if there is evidence of community transmission.

All staff at the 2 Sisters Food Factory on Anglesey are self-isolating and the factory has closed as workers continue to be tested. A similar outbreak has been contained at the Rowan Foods factory on Wrexham Industrial Estate.

The First Minister said that those who worked at the factories in these two areas were already under a kind of lockdown and the government were keeping a close watch to see if coronavirus spread further.

Mark Drakeford added that under the Coronavirus Act 2020 the Welsh Government had the authority to impose restrictions on entry and departure from any area in Wales.

The First Minister’s comments were made as the UK Government mulls a local lockdown in the city of Leicester where 866 cases have been reported in two weeks.

 

‘Delay’

“It’s clear that we do have the power and could under the coronavirus act take that action if necessary to protect public health,” Mark Drakeford said.

“We have a form of lockdown in these areas already because we have hundreds of people in isolation.

“It’s a testament to the success of our test and trace programme that we get there early and worked with workers, companies and trade unions.

“If there is evidence that coronavirus is seeping into the community we will have to think whether things we are able to do in other parts of Wales may have to be delayed.

“But the early signs are encouraging that we are not seeing the transmission of coronavirus into the community.”