Yesterday, we heard the first minister tell us some limited good news: from Monday, two different households may meet, provided they do so in the open air and they distance themselves. To do this, we have to stay local. As a the rule of thumb, that's five miles. No sooner was this announced than the whole Welsh world tried to interpret this in different ways. The first minister had to remind us that this is not a game where people try to find a way around the rules.
The point here is that local means less of an opportunity to spread the virus. This is important. In rural areas especially, lockdown has been beneficial in a number of communities keeping them virus-free and in others there's a limited spread. But the transmission rate in Wales is still no better than it was three weeks ago at the previous lockdown review: –0.8.
We also know that such behaviour (households meeting up) is already not uncommon. Heretofore, people nevertheless continue to bend the rules.
So, no opportunity just yet to see my immediate family, who moved from here for work to the west midlands of England.
Meanwhile, it's disappointing to note that, this very morning and for the first time since lockdown began, a near neighbour's daughter and grandchild arrived in Rhuthun/Ruthin to visit... from the west midlands of England. This cannot be right. I might dream of ratting them but I wouldn't. Yet, it leaves me with such a bitter taste. It makes me angry. I'm doing the right thing in not mixing with people from far afield. I'm sacrificing not seeing my family. I wouldn't want to be the bringing back the virus from the west midlands' hotspot to Rhuthun. Why then should others break the rules and risk the spread of the disease?
Perhaps Dominic Cummings would kindly answer that question. (Yes, he's still in the news).
The point here is that local means less of an opportunity to spread the virus. This is important. In rural areas especially, lockdown has been beneficial in a number of communities keeping them virus-free and in others there's a limited spread. But the transmission rate in Wales is still no better than it was three weeks ago at the previous lockdown review: –0.8.
We also know that such behaviour (households meeting up) is already not uncommon. Heretofore, people nevertheless continue to bend the rules.
So, no opportunity just yet to see my immediate family, who moved from here for work to the west midlands of England.
Meanwhile, it's disappointing to note that, this very morning and for the first time since lockdown began, a near neighbour's daughter and grandchild arrived in Rhuthun/Ruthin to visit... from the west midlands of England. This cannot be right. I might dream of ratting them but I wouldn't. Yet, it leaves me with such a bitter taste. It makes me angry. I'm doing the right thing in not mixing with people from far afield. I'm sacrificing not seeing my family. I wouldn't want to be the bringing back the virus from the west midlands' hotspot to Rhuthun. Why then should others break the rules and risk the spread of the disease?
Perhaps Dominic Cummings would kindly answer that question. (Yes, he's still in the news).
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Coronavirus