Covid passes: 'No immediate plans' for Welsh pubs and restaurants

There are no "immediate plans" to extend Covid passes to Welsh pubs and restaurants, a government minister has said.

The Welsh government has suggested that visitors to hospitality businesses could need Covid passes if infections climb.

Some in the sector are concerned at the impact the measure could have.

Finance Minister Rebecca Evans's comments come ahead of the next Welsh government Covid review on Thursday.

Covid passes - used to demonstrate if someone has completed a vaccine course or has tested negative for Covid in the past 48 hours - were extended to cinemas and theatres on Monday.

They were already required for nightclubs and large events.

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Recent figures show Wales' case rate is rising again after falling from a peak in October.

It stands at 488.93 per 100,000 over seven days on 11 November from a low point of 475.9 on 7 November.

It is still lower than the case rate one week ago, which was 526.16.

'Discussions with hospitality'

Speaking in a press conference, Rebecca Evans said: "We have no immediate plans to introduce those Covid passes more widely than they are at the moment.

"There is an ongoing discussion with the hospitality sector more widely about what we can be doing to ensure that people are safe in those environments."

Asked about the direction of travel for future restrictions, she said she did not want to pre-empt the next three-weekly review.

In the Senedd later on Tuesday, First Minister Mark Drakeford said Wales is "not out of the woods" on Covid as rates begin to increase again.

The first minister told the Senedd his cabinet will look "very carefully" at the numbers.

It is up to businesses to decide whether they scan or manually view the passes, which include a QR code and a date of expiry.

The Welsh government says businesses can decide if they want to digitally scan or manually view the passes, as part of their own Covid risk assessment.

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