THE Welsh Government is considering lifting the 'stay at home' restriction imposed last December as part of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown - but a 'stay local' rule could replace it.

The issue is set to be one of those considered at next week's three-weekly review of lockdown restrictions in Wales.

But any decisions made next week on easing restrictions will be very much with the current situation regarding case rates, variants and other factors in mind, say health minister Vaughan Gething, and is unlikely to cast further light on whether major events such as festivals and other large gatherings will be able to go ahead in the summer.

Speaking at yesterday's Welsh Government coronavirus briefing, Mr Gething said it may be possible to lift the 'stay at home' restriction next week, ministers are thinking about whether there should instead be a 'stay local' period".

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"It is a choice we need to make - but it is easy to understand the argument as to why we should have a period of 'stay local' before having wider travel," he said.

Asked if such a period would last only until Easter - if the hope of allowing self-contained holiday accommodation to open for the holidays is to go ahead - Mr Gething said that too is an issue that must be considered.

He also warned that travelling into England for purposes of leisure would still be off limits, bearing in mind restrictions over the border.

The Welsh Government's Technical Advisory Group is about to publish more evidence which may help with decisions on whether major events are likely to be able to go ahead in the future - but Mr gething indicated that it is too soon to think about the summer.

"Vaccines are really helping us, but a substantial amount of the fall in rates has come from lockdown measures and people following them," he said.

As the country begins to ease gradually out of lockdown, there is a need to deal with a much more infectious strain of coronavirus, he added, "and the caution is due to that".

Predicting what the situation in the middle and end of summer might be, and whether such events can happen is "really an act of astrology", said Mr Gething, as it cannot be predicted on a scientific basis what will happen, and also how people will choose to behave as each stage of easing is introduced.

"I do not think people expect governments to behave like astrologers, in dealing with a once-in-a-century pandemic of this scale," he said.

"There is a potential for harm if we come out of lockdown too quickly.

"There is a balance to be struck here, and a responsible, evidence-led approach is exactly the right way to go about this."