The recent news that travellers arriving from Spain must now quarantine for 14 days due to a surge in Covid-19 cases in the country is a stark reminder that, while the lockdown may be easing, the coronavirus pandemic has not gone away.

The concern has always been that we could be facing a second spike later in the year.

The key is to keep any second spike to a minimum while keeping the economy open. It’s more important than ever that we all remain vigilant and continue to act safely over the weeks and months ahead.

Meanwhile the easing of the lockdown continues across Wales. As of Monday July 27, beauty salons, nail bars and tanning shops have been allowed to reopen, following the re-opening of hairdressers on July 13. There are some exceptions with certain treatments requiring close contact with clients such as facials remain banned for the moment.

While it is now mandatory to wear masks on public transport in Wales, this is not the case in shops – quite different from the current guidelines across the border in England.

It’s clear that many people are choosing to wear face coverings and there is some evidence that they can help to reduce transmission of the virus, however they are not the complete solution. It’s vital that facial protection does not lull us into a false sense of security and we continue to adhere to the standard Welsh Government guidance of working from home if possible, hand cleanliness and social distancing.

The Welsh Government continues to receive significant sums of money from the UK government to help cope with the crisis and support jobs in Wales. The Chancellor’s summer statement saw additional funding of up to £500 million coming to Wales while a more recent announcement has pledged even more funding of £1 billion to help deal with the crisis.

This means that the Welsh Government’s budget is being uplifted by an unprecedented level at this present time, countering some of the traditional problems associated with the Barnett Formula - which funds Wales based primarily on population rather than need.

Of course the pandemic means that the Welsh Government has faced significant extra costs but the extra funding does allow for investment in the future, sustainable jobs and green growth.

So let’s all grasp the opportunities presented by the easing of the lockdown while taking care to keep risk to a minimum.