CALLS have been made for Wales’ vaccine passport system to be scrapped in the Welsh Government review today (Thursday).

The NHS COVID Pass was introduced in Wales last October following a tight Senedd vote – with 28 votes for and 27 against.

Since then the passes have been extended to include cinemas, concert halls and theatres, as well as nightclubs and certain large events.

Welsh Government ministers will meet today (Thursday) to review the national rules, and first minister Mark Drakeford will give a press conference at lunchtime on Friday.

Wales has been at Alert Level Zero since late January – but despite the wording, some restrictions remain in force.

At the last rule review, Mr Drakeford said his cabinet would make a decision on whether to lift regulations on things like Covid Passes at their next meeting.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats say no evidence of their effectiveness has ever been provided to show the scheme works and that they are not providing a public health benefit.

“With the continued rapid decline in cases over the last month, the Welsh Government should scrap the COVID passport scheme today," said Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS.

“Throughout the period of the schemes operation, we never received any evidence the passes were effective at reducing transmissions and the vast majority of businesses required to operate the scheme were forced to close.

“Businesses urgently need support and less red tape as they look to recover, we should not be continuing with a failed scheme that has no proven public health benefit, but does negatively impact Welsh businesses.

“If civil liberties are to be infringed upon, it is vital such moves are proportional and based on evidence.

"Right now we need the Welsh Government to have a laser-like focus on helping our small businesses recover in order to maintain job security at a testing time for the economy."

First minister Mark Drakeford and health minister Eluned Morgan confirmed they will review the ongoing need for the Covid Pass scheme,

"If things continue to improve then there would be an active debate on whether the Covid Pass is still a proportionate part of the measure that we want to have in place," Drakeford said at the last review on January 21.

"We'll keep doing what we always do – we'll look at the measures, we'll ask for advice on whether the Covid Pass is still part of our defences, and if the answer is 'yes' we'll continue with it.

"If things have improved to the point when it's no longer part of necessary measures then we'll respond to that advice as well."

The scheme kicked off in controversial style last autumn when one Senedd member failed to vote, allowing the Welsh Government to bring in Covid Passes by the slimmest of margins.

Scrapping Covid Passes this week could make things a lot more convenient for people attending Wales' home matches in the Six Nations rugby tournament, the first of which is on Saturday.

Meanwhile Drakeford and health minister Morgan have also confirmed that the rules on mask-wearing will be one of the things the Welsh Government considers at the review.

Even if the rules are relaxed, it would be a pandemic-first if masks are scrapped in Wales altogether.

During previous periods in Alert Level Zero – such as last summer and autumn – masks were still required on public transport and in some indoor places.

The first minister thinks many people will continue wearing masks even if there is no legal requirement for them to do so.

"If the advice is that things are so good that you don't need them, we'd respond to that advice," he said at the time of the last Covid review.

"I think there will be many people that on an advisory basis, might find themselves in crowded public places and choose to go on wearing masks, as they will feel safer for it."