Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy will enter localised lockdown from Thursday

Wrexham will be entering a localised lockdown from Thursday 6pm.

The localised lockdown measures are already in place in parts of South Wales.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething has announced the measures live in a statement to the Senedd at 6:23pm.

Welsh Government have published a Q&A on what this will mean for the area: https://gov.wales/wrexham-county-borough-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions.

Tonight Wrexham’s MS Lesley Griffiths has said “There is a rising tide of new infections in Wrexham. Sadly numbers are expected to rise in the coming days. Acting now should avoid harm and help us to avoid taking more significant action to keep Wrexham safe.”

We were watching the Senedd feed just after 6pm as the announcement was made – this is part of what the Health Minister said https://t.co/V2hc7y1e7T pic.twitter.com/JwKlIxbd99

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) September 29, 2020

UPDATE: Welsh Government have issued the below statement….

New coronavirus restrictions are being introduced in four local authority areas in North Wales – Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy and Wrexham – following a rise in cases, Health Minister Vaughan Gething today announced.

The new measures will come into force at 6pm on Thursday 1 October, to protect people’s health and control the spread of the virus in the four areas.

The new restrictions will apply to everyone living in Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy and Wrexham:

People will not be allowed to enter or leave each of these areas without a reasonable excuse, such as travel for work or education;
People will only be able to meet people they don’t live with outdoors for the time being. They will not be able to form, or be in, extended households;
The restrictions will be in addition to the rules that apply everywhere in Wales, including:

All licensed premises must stop selling alcohol at 10pm
Everyone over 11 will be required to wear face coverings in indoor public areas – as is the case across Wales.
Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, said:

“Unfortunately, we have seen a rise in coronavirus cases in four north Wales local authority areas – in Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and Conwy. These are largely linked to people socialising indoors and are the pattern of transmission similar to what we have seen in South Wales.

“We have worked closely with local authority leaders and the police in North Wales and we all agree about the need to take swift action to control and the spread of the virus.

“Large parts of Wales will now be subject to local restrictions but I want to be clear – this is not a national lockdown. These are a series of local restrictions to respond to rises in cases in individual areas.

“It’s always difficult to make the decision to impose restrictions but we hope that these measures will make a positive difference – just as we have seen in Caerphilly and Newport, where local residents have pulled together and followed the rules.

“It is important we all work together and support each other. This isn’t just about protecting ourselves, it’s about protecting each other.”

The restrictions are being introduced following a rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases in coronavirus, which have been linked to people meeting indoors, not following social distancing guidelines and returning from summer holidays overseas.

The Welsh Government met with local authorities, health boards and police across North Wales today (29 September) to discuss the situation across the region, and what measures could be taken to prevent the further spread of the virus and how to protect people’s health.

The local restrictions will not be introduced in Anglesey or Gwynedd at this stage, where cases are lower.

The new local restrictions will be kept under regular review. They will be enforced by local authorities and by the police.

Keep Wales safe by:
Always keeping your distance
Washing your hands regularly
Working from home wherever you can
Following any local restrictions
Following the rules about meeting people
Staying at home if you or anyone in your extended household has symptoms.

Wrexham’s MS Lesley Griffiths has said :

Regrettably, a resurgence of Covid-19 was always a distinct possibility. The latest data demonstrates how contagious the virus is and how quickly the situation can escalate in a short space of time.

Although a lot has been discovered about coronavirus in the last six months, it is still a new disease which is very infectious and has few effective treatments.

During the summer, in Wrexham we experienced an increase in cases centred around particular locations. The people of Wrexham responded then and I urge them to do so once again. It’s vital everyone follows the new local restrictions, which are ultimately in place to protect you, your loved ones and the local community.

Governments can advise, inform and set rules but only people can act on the advice. The fewer people we come into contact with, the lower the risk of the virus spreading.

Individuals must continue to observe social distancing, wash their hands regularly, work from home where possible and wear a face covering in the appropriate settings. It is people that move the virus around.

Everyone has a part to play in helping keep Wrexham and Wales safe.