Coronavirus in Wales: 'Support bubbles' decision expected next week

Households in Wales could soon be able to form "bubbles" as coronavirus restrictions are eased, the first minister has said.

In England, single people are able to visit and stay at someone else's home and are even allowed to stay overnight.

It means that across the border grandparents who live alone can hug their grandchildren and couples can be reunited.

Wales is the only part of the UK not to allow people to form bubbles so far.

But First Minister Mark Drakeford said he hoped to make a decision on whether to ease restrictions to allow households to form so-called bubbles next week.

At the Welsh Government's daily press conference, Mr Drakeford said there had been discussions as to "whether we would be able to allow two households to come together to form a single household for practical purposes".

"I hope to be in a position very early next week to reach some conclusions and make some announcements on that," he added.

Mr Drakeford did not clarify if the system would be the same as in England, Scotland and Ireland, allowing people within the "bubble" to stay with each other and hug.

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Travel restrictions, limiting people in Wales to local journeys - within five miles of their home, as a rule-of-thumb - are also set to be eased on 6 July.

People are already allowed to travel further on "compassionate grounds" to visit relatives and friends they are worried about.

But since the start of March, social distancing has meant couples who live apart have not been able to stay together, and relatives, who do not already live together, have not been able to be within two metres of each other.

In Wales, current rules mean two households at a time can meet from a social distance, and must remain outside and not go into each others homes, even to use the bathroom.

However in England, the UK government has allowed people living alone to form "support bubbles", with one other household, with close physical contact allowed.

The changes, brought in three weeks ago, mean adults who live alone are allowed to visit someone else's home and are even allowed to stay overnight.

But the support bubbles must be exclusive, meaning someone can only form a bubble with one other household and they cannot swap, and if someone develops coronavirus symptoms, everyone in the bubble must self-isolate.