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Wales relaxing mask, Covid pass rules
Wales will phase out the requirement to wear masks in certain venues and scrap the need for Covid passes.
From Friday, February 18 Covid passes are no longer required to enter various indoor and outdoor venues.
These include clubs, cinemas, theatres and concert halls.
The international Covid pass rules will continue.
Starting on Monday, February 28 mandatory wearing of masks in most indoor public places, such as gyms and cinemas will end.
However mask will still be required in shops, on public transport and in healthcare facilities.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said the requirement for face coverings in those settings could be lifted before the end of March.
"With increasing numbers of people vaccinated and boosted and thanks to the hard work and efforts of everyone across Wales, we are confident that Covid rates are falling and we can look forward to brighter times ahead," Drakeford said.
"We can start to gradually and carefully remove some of the remaining protections we have in place at alert level zero."
Wales will keep the self-isolation requirement for positive cases, which are being dropped in England.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gethin said this measure could also be lifted at the end of March.
"We may move to self-isolation being guidance rather than mandatory but at this point we think it is still important to have that as a protective measure in law," he told the BBC.
He slammed England’s decision to scrap self-isolation with no discussions between health ministers or any scientific advice used to support it.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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