The full rules on masks in stores, restaurants, pubs, gyms and other indoor venues in Wales

Masks are going to remain a legal requirement in shops, trains and buses and all other indoor public places in Wales even while Wales eases nearly all other lockdown restrictions.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced huge changes to coronavirus restrictions in Wales plus some easing of rules around wearing of masks, but he has warned that any removal of the requirement to wear them in many public places will be "gradual".

The only exception will be from August 7, provided the public health situation allows it, when Wales moves to Alert Level 0 and masks will no longer be required in hospitality venues including pubs, restaurants and nightclubs.

Speaking on Wednesday, July 14, Mr Drakeford announced a series of changes arriving this Saturday, July 17, when Wales moves fully into Alert Level 1. Those changes were paused a month ago because of concerns concerning the delta variant. Welsh Government wanted to ensure as numerous people as you possibly can might be vaccinated before restrictions were eased.

He also signalled that Wales was prone to transfer to Alert Level 0 from August 7, if the public health situation continues to be just like it's now. See the entire timetable for those changes here

The Welsh Government has said face coverings in Wales would still be mandatory on trains and buses as well as in health insurance and social care settings and has confirmed face coverings will continue to be required by law even from August 7, in many indoor public places as well as on trains and buses except for hospitality settings.

It means if you are going on trains and buses, to shops so when accessing healthcare you will still need to wear a mask.

Individual businesses and employers will need to consider whether goggles should be worn as part of their coronavirus risk assessment.

The new coronavirus action plan for Wales says there's large public support for mask wearing and evidence face coverings can offer a "partial protective effect against transmission".

It also details the plan for taking out the requirement to wear masks in the future.

"The necessity to wear face coverings in most other indoor regulated settings will also be retained at alert level zero initially. We expect to gradually ease the legal requirement to put on face coverings, though the requirements on public transport and in healthcare settings could be in place longest.

"We shall start this process by relaxing the (already limited) legal requirement to wear face covering in hospitality settings from 7 August.

"We're starting with with the exception of hospitality premises because for the majority of time people spend there, they're already not required to put on a face covering due to the exemption that applies when eating food or drink. Additionally people can generally choose not to visit such premises if they're are in high-risk of severe illness when they contract the virus.

"However, hospitality businesses must still do a coronavirus risk assessment and can still decide to retain the requirement of face coverings on their premises. In addition, although it won't be considered a legal requirement we still advise individuals to wear a face covering wherever practical in these environments," the document reads.

Education minister Jeremy Miles has written to any or all schools and colleges to say wearing face coverings in the classroom will no longer be recommended from September.

What are the rules elsewhere?

In England, the legal requirement to put on a face covering in shops, public transport and other enclosed public spaces will end on July 19 and will also be replaced with government guidance.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the federal government does however recommend face coverings are worn in crowded and enclosed spaces. Individual travel operators can make their own rules though and travellers on London's Underground and buses will still have to put them on and so will British Airways, EasyJet, Virgin and Ryanair.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the mandatory wearing of face coverings will stay in position "in most likelihood" for some time in the future including in shops and trains and buses – as well as pubs and restaurants if not seated.

The latest update from Public Health Wales (PHW) on Wednesday, July 14 confirmed 1,135 more positive cases to create the total because the pandemic began to 227,563 The additional death means the general total now stands at 5,581.

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