PEMBROKESHIRE County Council has welcomed changes to rules on meeting people indoors and the wearing of face coverings in shops and other public enclosed spaces in Wales.

The changes came into force on Monday, September 14.

The changes follow an increase in cases of coronavirus linked to people meeting and socialising with others indoors but without social distancing.

The Welsh Government measures mean that from today a new limit of six people will be introduced on the number of people from an extended household who can meet indoors at any one time.

The rule does not apply to children under 11.

Up to 30 people from different homes can also still meet outside.

The public is recommended to read the full guidance, here: https://gov.wales/guidance-extended-households-coronavirus

In a further change, face coverings are now mandatory in shops and enclosed public spaces.

Again the rule will not apply to children or those who are medically exempt.

Please read the full face coverings guidance at: gov.wales/face-coverings-guidance-public

The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, said the limit on the number of people meeting indoors was based on how the virus is spreading.

“We know that transmission is coming from people meeting people they know – it’s not coming from passing strangers – it’s not in the outdoors.

“It’s when people get into one another’s households.”

Face coverings had been introduced, the First Minister said, because the rate of infection had reached 20 people in 100,000 in Wales – the threshold at which people returning to the UK would have to quarantine.

Pembrokeshire County Council Leader Cllr David Simpson said: “While the level of infection remains low in Pembrokeshire, the rise in coronavirus cases across Wales is a concern and it is right that action is taken to prevent further spread.

“While the vast majority of people are following the rules it is clear there has been increased spread of Covid-19 when people are meeting up indoors and not socially distancing.

“The speed with which these measures and the local lockdown in Caerphilly had to be introduced shows just how quickly things can change if we let our guard down and wrongly believe the virus has gone away.

“We all have a personal responsibility to do what we can to prevent the spread of the virus and I appeal to all Pembrokeshire people and any anyone visiting to follow these new rules and to keep up good hand hygiene and remember social distancing.

“If we do not, and the virus continues to spread, we face further more significant restrictions and throwing away all the hard work and sacrifice of the last six months.

“We have worked so hard to reduce the risk – let’s keep going and work together. Don’t risk catching the virus or passing it on to others.”