A leading Welsh Conservative has accused Health Minister Vaughan Gething of being "completely out of touch" about the distance people can travel to meet others.

From today, people in Wales can meet up with another household outdoors - but only within their local area.

As a general rule, that means five miles, the Welsh Government says.

Mr Gething told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast: "If you want to travel 20 miles, even if you live in rural Wales, that almost certainly isn't local."

Darren Millar, the Welsh Conservative spokesman for Covid-19 recovery, responded by saying: "This is yet another example of an urban-centric Welsh Labour Government Minister who is completely out of touch with anywhere beyond Cardiff.

"To say that people in rural Wales are likely to live within five miles of their close friends and family is presumptuous and patronising and, for hundreds of thousands of people, just plain wrong.

"This cruel rule might well work for the minister and for many people in the cities and large urban centres, but it doesn't work for many people in other parts of Wales, especially rural communities."

People are being warned to stay safe at the beach and in the water by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Rhyl RNLI say their lifeboats were in action on both Saturday and Sunday, with a high proportion of calls to the RNLI in Wales being about people cut off by the tide.

People within a five-mile radius of Wales' beaches are now free to visit them, but the RNLI have warned people to be cautious with no lifeguard patrols., external

On Saturday afternoon, about 30 people were shepherded back to the shore after alerts at Kinmel Bay and Rhyl. A similar number at the same locations were warned on Sunday to beware the incoming tide.

Chris Cousens, water safety lead for the RNLI in Wales, said: “Do not put yourself, your family and emergency services at risk by taking risks or assuming it ‘won’t happen to you’."

Image source, RNLI/Rhyl

Doctors have spoken of the emotional toll of working on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 400 took part in a UK-wide survey conducted by the British Medical Association (BMA), external.

They describe working long hours on wards in intense conditions, concerns about personal protective equipment (PPE), their fears of catching Covid-19 and passing it on to their loved ones, and the pain of losing patients.

One doctor said: “I am frequently tearful about all those who have died; continuously fearful of contracting Covid and secondarily infecting my family.”

The survey also found that 41% of doctors were suffering with depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, emotional distress or another mental health condition relating to or made worse by their work, with 29% saying this had got worse during the pandemic.

The BMA is calling for more support for doctors suffering with poor mental health and wellbeing.

Dr David Wrigley, BMA council deputy chair and wellbeing lead, said: "The emotional strain doctors have been placed under is huge.”

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Hay Festival

Almost half a million people logged on to watch stars such as Margaret Atwood, Benedict Cumberbatch and Helena Bonham Carter at Hay's first online festival.

The 33rd edition of the world-famous literary event was free and broadcast online for the past two weeks after receiving donations of £350,000.

The Hay Festival went digital this year because coronavirus lockdown rules meant it could not be staged in the Powys border town.

Festival director Peter Florence said the online arrangements resulted in "hundreds of thousands" attending Hay for the first time.

"We've seen writers and actors and scientists respond to the technology with imagination and daring," he added.

Image source, Hay Festival

A Welsh Labour MP has warned that returning to the House of Commons on Tuesday puts the health of older and vulnerable members at risk.

Ogmore MP Chris Elmore shared his concerns on social media at the decision to scrap the semi-virtual "hybrid" debates that saw some MPs in the chamber and others contributing via video conferencing.

There had been restrictions on the number of politicians allowed in the chamber, with social distancing, and some MPs taking part in debates and voting virtually from home.

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed the virtual arrangements were a poor substitute for the real thing.

A group of 200 travel companies has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel asking for current quarantine plans for people entering the UK to be scrapped.

It follows calls last week from MPs and travel bosses to reconsider the rules.

From 8 June, people entering the UK from abroad will be told to isolate for 14 days.

The letter suggests unhindered travel should be possible for people between destinations "deemed safe from coronavirus".

So-called "air bridges" would allow visitors from countries where coronavirus infection rates are low into the UK, without having to self-isolate for two weeks.

Image source, Getty Images

A senior Welsh Conservative politician has said he would have liked to have seen Dominic Cummings apologise for travelling more than 200 miles during lockdown.

Mr Cummings, the prime minister's most senior adviser, drove from London to Durham during lockdown but insisted he acted reasonably and legally.

However, former Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said Boris Johnson's aide should not have travelled the distance he did during lockdown.

Speaking to ITV, Mr Davies said: “I would have personally liked to have seen his senior adviser apologise for the actions he undertook.”

He said the prime minister believes Mr Cummings has a role to play “going forward”.

But Mr Davies added: “In my own view I think he took the wrong decision to travel 250 miles.”

Image source, AFP

A case of coronavirus has been confirmed at a school just over the Wales/England border near Chepstow.

An individual who attended a holiday club at Woolaston Primary School in Lydney, Gloucestershire, has tested positive for Covid-19.

A deep clean of the school has been carried out, and all those who have had contact with the person have already been identified and contacted.

The school remains open and parents are being told to send their children to class as normal, if they are well.

There has been controversy over the policy in England of re-opening schools from today while those in Wales remain closed, apart from some which are catering for vulnerable children or those of key workers .

Cardiff City and Swansea City could be back in action soon, as the Championship season is set to resume on 20 June, more than three months after it was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The English Football League (EFL) said the date was "provisional" and "subject to the strict proviso that all safety requirements and government guidance is met".

There are 108 matches remaining, plus the play-off semi-finals and final.

No Championship fixtures have been played since 8 March, with the campaign suspended five days later.

The EFL said it was aiming to complete the Championship season with the play-off final "on or around 30 July".

League officials added that there would be ongoing discussions on proposals to permit the use of five substitutes in the remaining fixtures and increasing matchday squads from 18 to 20 players.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Wales News Service

Usually heaving with visitors on a hot sunny day, Sunday saw only small clusters of people enjoying the seaside at Barry Island.

But over the border in England, there are concerns over how busy some beaches have been.

In Wales, from today, people can meet up with another household outdoors - but only within their local area, which is classed as five miles as a general rule.

In England travel is unlimited.

Wales' health minister Vaughan Gething has said he fears if people are allowed to travel as far as they want beaches will be packed.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Breakfast

Individuals in Wales who had been told to shield themselves and remain in their homes can now go outside - and meet friends and family, as long as they adhere to strict social distancing rules.

The move affects about 130,000 people in Wales.

But chronic leukemia patient Angela Steatham told the BBC she would be staying inside.

Ms Steatham, from Powys, said she did not believe the changes were following medical evidence on coronavirus.

"I live in a village in Wales which has a waterfall that is a beauty spot. This weekend we have been inundated with people - none of them following social distancing rules," said Ms Steatham.

"I'm not going out in that situation."

Giri Shankar from Public Health Wales told BBC Radio Wales' Breakfast show the change on shielding was introduced because the risk of contracting Covid-19 has now lowered.

But he said each individual's shielding circumstances were different.

"If there's any doubt in an individual not feeling up to it, I don't recommend they do it," he added about going outside.

If there was no limit on how far people could travel we would see beaches overcrowded in Wales, the health minister says.

From today, people can meet up with another household outdoors - but only within their local area.

As a general rule, that means five miles, the Welsh Government says.

There have been some concerns this was unfair on people living in rural areas, who may need to travel further.

But Vaughan Gething said if there was not a restriction on travel, beaches would be packed, as has been seen in England.

"If we said you can go to Tenby as much as you like, I think we could be confident that the pictures wouldn't be radically different to what we saw in Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove over the weekend.

"We've got to take a cautious approach to keep Wales safe and keep people alive".

"Whether you live in urban or rural Wales if your loved ones are more than five miles away, you've got to think: 'Is that really local?'" he said.

He said most people, even in rural areas, had shops and friends within that distance.

"If you want to travel 20 miles, even if you live in rural Wales, that almost certainly isn't local", he said.

BBC Radio Wales

Changes to lockdown rules for vulnerable people happened "quicker than I expected", the health minister says.

From today, people can meet friends and family from one other household outdoors, but they must stay local and keep social distancing.

This includes 130,000 people who had been told to "shield" and remain in their homes, after rules were changed on Sunday.

Vaughan Gething said those changes happened "a little quicker than I expected" after England made the decision to allow it.

He told BBC Radio Wales that he had hoped the whole of the UK would ease restrictions at the same time, and the Welsh Government had to decide whether to hold on or also make changes.

Mr Gething said the changes were based on scientific evidence that there was less risk of catching the virus in warm weather and while outside.

"It's been quite painful for people, but it has kept people alive," he said.

"We are still expecting shielded people to retain distance from people, the guidance has not changed when going indoors," he said, saying that those who are high-risk should not go shopping or into people's homes.

Mr Gething said as the weather gets colder again they may have to "think again" due to the nature of the virus.

Image source, Getty Images

Changes to lockdown restrictions have come into force in Wales.

But what can you do from today?

• You can meet people from another household outdoors, but must maintain social distancing.

• You can meet in local parks, open spaces and private gardens, but must maintain strict hand hygiene and remain apart.
• This should be within five miles of your home - as a general rule - and you should not go into someone else's home.
• There is no restriction on the number of people at any one time, but you should not meet members of more than one household at the same time.
• You are able to have a picnic or a barbecue as long as you stay apart and don't share food.
• You can exercise with people from other households but must keep social distancing and not meet in large groups.
• People shielding can also go outside to exercise and meet others after a further revision of the guidance was issued on Sunday.

If people are worried about meeting others or going outside they should not do it, the man in charge of Public Health Wales' response to coronavirus says.

About 130,000 people in Wales had been told to "shield" from the virus by staying inside for at least 12 weeks.

But from today they will be able to go outside and meet people from another household, provided they keep a two-metre distance.

It's part of changes to lockdown life in Wales.

Giri Shankar said the risk of contracting the virus had lowered because of people complying with lockdown measures - but people must maintain social distancing.

"Each individual's person circumstances in relation to their illness that made them go into shielding in the first place will be different," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"If there's any doubt in any individual not feeling up to it I don't recommend they do it. If they want to get some fresh air and exercise then it's reasonable to do so.

"I think the main purpose is to see the individual's face to face at a distance. That should be the focus rather than use this as a way to have a long chat or a garden party. Those should not be the purpose."

Police say they stopped a couple at St Clears, Carmarthenshire, who had driven through Wales from Essex.

Their sat-nav showed their route across the country.

BBC Radio Wales

After 10 weeks in her home, Kay Davies is both excited and worried about going outside.

She is one of about 130,000 people in Wales who have been told to "shield" from the virus by staying inside.

They were sent letters telling them to stay indoors for at least 12 weeks - but from today they will be able to go outside, provided they keep a two-metre distance.

Kay, from Llanelli, said she was concerned the guidance had changed "over night".

"I'm kind of excited to be able to go out but at the same time I'm nervous," she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"They told us we weren't allowed to see anyone or not allowed to go out - I still have five weeks left on my letter, and now they're saying it's fine, I don't understand what's changed overnight."

"It's something I want to do but living where I live there's been a lot of people walking on the beach and close to me.

The "test, trace, protect" system is launching in Wales today.

It will see the close contacts of people who have tested positive for coronavirus asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

Similar systems are already running in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

About 600 staff have been recruited so far but up to 1,000 people will be needed as it is expanded.

Anyone with symptoms of the virus can apply for a home-test kit or make an appointment at a drive-through test centre.

An website opened at the weekend for anyone who has symptoms in Wales to book an appointment.

Capacity has increased in recent weeks, with laboratories able to test 9,000 samples a day.

James Williams
BBC Wales Political Correspondent

Stocks of personal protective equipment (PPR) for nurses and doctors are "stable but fragile", according to the Welsh Government.

There is "enough for the next three months", the deputy minister in charge of PPE supplies said.

But Lee Waters warned against taking "our eye off the ball".

With about 90% of Wales' PPE supplies coming from abroad, he said he hoped to encourage more domestic production.

The Royal College of Nursing in Wales said there was "still some work to be done" ahead of a potential second wave.

"I think the biggest thing out of this is the learning what we need to do so that next time, when there is a peak, we can switch it on very, very quickly," said Nicky Hughes, associate director of nursing.

She said there were still "some sporadic issues" with getting the right PPE to nurses, but with the number of cases falling "we're not hearing the concerns around PPE that we were".

"It was quite emotional... it was so lovely for him".

On Sunday Simon Tozzo saw his father Peter for the first time since the 86-year-old contracted coronavirus.

A nurse lent Peter a phone and he went outside and rang his son while looking at him across the River Taff in central Cardiff.

"It was the first time he's gone outside for fresh air - it was a bit of a rollercoaster," Simon told BBC Radio Wales.

"We had a ten minute warning so we ran up there and we waved at him from about 50-60 metres on the Taff.

Peter, who has dementia, was being treated in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff when he tested positive for coronavirus.

The family were told to expect the worst, but he pulled through and was transferred to the Dragon’s Heart field hospital in the Principality Stadium.

"It was a lovely moment. Most importantly, it was good for him to get some stimulus after 13 weeks staring at a hospital wall," said Simon.