First Minister does not rule out “more precise localised lockdowns” to combat future virus spread

More precise localised lockdowns are possible in Wales to combat virus spread, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said today.

Previously there had been indications from Welsh Government that such smaller reactive lockdowns were seen as unworkable, or possibly problematic.

Elsewhere specific areas have seen localised lockdowns take place, for example city-wide in China or separate specific municipalities in the provinces in Italy.

UK Government have previously indicated in England lockdowns could be at a town or even school level if required.

On May 22nd’s edition of the “Political Party” podcast the First Minister was asked about localised lockdowns and pointed to them not being his preference, saying: “Given how challenging it has been to have had a different message for the whole of Wales to England, then trying to calibrate the methods that it is different in one part of Wales one other part of Wales, and then to enforce it because if you’re going to say there are different rules.

“You’re going to have to find a way of making those rules. So, my conclusion up until now has been that while the case can be made on paper. In practice, it, it just isn’t deliverable.”

Rebecca Evans MS was asked about the topic last week by LBC at the daily lunchtime Welsh Government briefs, and said: “At the moment we are not considering differential lockdowns across different parts of Wales.

“Part of that is the strengths of the message is that it is a clear message that applies to everybody.

“If you do look for differential lockdowns, or lockdowns in small areas, there is potential for a great deal of confusion.”

Today we asked the First Minister if localised lockdowns been ruled out in Wales , and if Wales wide responses are the tactic, how is locking down Wrexham going to help deal with a spike in say Swansea?

The First Minister replied, “We definitely haven’t ruled out more precise localised lockdowns if that is what the contact tracing system tells us is happening. I referred in my opening remarks to identifying hotspots and if there are hotspots, and the best answer is to take particular measures in that area, then that is what we will do.

“That will be a very ordinary response to a public health problem. You take the action in the place where the problem comes to the surface. So, we’ve definitely not ruled that out.

“Our participation in the joint biosecurity centre that’s being set up across the United Kingdom will give us all, over time, that more precise and localised information. So we’ve definitely not ruled out doing things in that way.

We also asked the First Minister about modelling of further waves, and what timescales Welsh Government were looking at if they exist.

The First Minister replied: “The modelling definitely does take place on that, and that joint biosecurity centre will be an important part of that modelling work because the idea of the centre is that it will draw in the maximum amount of data from the maximum number of sources, and then be able to analyse outbreaks from that sort of comprehensive set of data, including if it can be made to work effectively, from the NHSX app.

“So the modelling is definitely happening.

“We’ve got better ways in which we can make that happen in the future, we can do it on a four nation basis, and it will give us rapid insights and precise insights into how Coronavirus is behaving, how it is affecting different localities and the steps we need to take therefore, to try and mitigate the risk that further mass peaks will occur right across the country.”