ECONOMY minister Vaughan Gething outlined the Welsh Government's plans to relax Covid rules on BBC Breakfast ahead of a press conference later today.

Mr Gethin said that the announcement today will confirm that Covid Pass legal requirements will be removed and that face mask rules will be relaxed next week.

This means that face masks will now only be required on public transport, in retail and in health and social care settings from February 28.

The public will still be advised to wear face coverings if they can, but it will not be a legal requirement.

From February 18, Covid Passes will not be legally required but venues can still ask that customers have one and can make it a part of their conditions for entry.

Mr Gething said that the Welsh Government is looking ahead to see if the remaining protections can be removed from the end of March.

Mr Gething said: "Because of our relatively stable public health position, because we've seen a small fall in Covid cases again in Wales, we think we can safely do this.

"So it's a managed, it's a gradual and it's a careful move to get us out of the public protection measures and to make sure we don't see a return to Covid or the harm that it has caused."

Any changes in March will be subject to the three week review recommending that they are safe to go ahead.

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Mr Gething then voiced his surprise at the recent announcement from Boris Johnson that the five day isolation period are intended to be scrapped in England four weeks earlier than originally planned.

He said that it would not be the first time that the rules are different between Wales and England, but insisted that it was England that was being different.

Mr Gething said he had not seen any scientific advice to back up the UK Government's approach in England, or any advice from SAGE.

He went on to say if the evidence exists, it has not been shared with the Welsh Government

He said the Welsh Government's decisions during the pandemic have been based entirely on scientific advice, as well as advice from Public Health Wales and the chief medical officer.

"England is being differnet without the benefit of understanding the evidence and advice that underpins a change being made." said Mr Gething.

He went on to recount how he recently had Covid and though he tested negative on the fifth and sixth day, he knew if he left isolation then he would be infectious for other people.

This is one of the reasons why the Welsh Government are waiting to make a change as they do not believe it is safe to do so yet.