The Chief Medical Officer for Wales is writing to everyone on the shielding list to offer them tailored advice about staying safe and protecting themselves from the omicron variant. We strongly advise anyone to take extra precautions to protect themselves, because nobody wants to be ill over Christmas. This year, the safest Christmas will, indeed, be a smaller Christmas.

The single most important thing we can all do is to ensure that we are vaccinated, and that means having the booster vaccine too. The evidence all shows that it is vital in increasing our protection against the omicron variant. The NHS is prioritising the booster campaign, and every day it is delivering record levels of vaccination. The figures published earlier today showed over 50,000 people were vaccinated yesterday with a booster vaccine. But we also need people to come forward to prioritise their booster appointment. Nothing will be more important to protect your health in the day than coming forward for that booster vaccine.

Llywydd, omicron has a doubling time somewhere around two days. By Boxing Day, we could therefore see many thousands of cases across Wales every day as it becomes firmly established in all parts of Wales. And that is why we must now put stronger protections in place to keep Wales safe and to ensure that as many businesses as possible can keep trading. I want to deal separately this afternoon with the measures we are taking to protect each one of us in our own homes and the measures that we will take to make public places safe. And I'm going to begin, Llywydd, with those public settings. We are introducing alert level 2 measures for retail, workplaces, hospitality and leisure businesses, so that they can reopen safely after Christmas. We've already decided that sporting fixtures will be played behind closed doors and that nightclubs must close. These, together with the other alert level 2 measures, will come into force at 6 a.m. on Boxing Day.

The alert level 2 measures have been tailored to what we know of the omicron variant. They mean, first of all, a general requirement of 2m social distancing in all premises open to the public and workplaces, subject to the usual reasonable measures regime. Secondly, a rule of six will apply to gatherings in regulated premises, such as hospitality, cinemas and theatres. All licensed premises will need to take additional measures to protect customers and staff, including table service and collecting contact details. Face coverings will be required in hospitality settings at all times other than when people are seated. Large events will no longer be allowed indoors or outdoors. The maximum number of people who can gather at an outdoor event will be 50 people, and, at an indoor event, the maximum number will be 30. There will be an exception for sports teams so that up to 50 spectators will be able to gather, in addition to those taking part, and there will also be, once again, an exception for events involving children. For important life events like weddings, civil partnerships, funerals and wakes, the number will be determined by the ability of the venue to manage social distancing and other reasonable measures. At a wedding breakfast or at a wake, all guests will need to have taken a lateral flow test. 

Llywydd, I now turn to the ways in which we can all keep well and safe in our own homes and in our private lives. The Cabinet has decided not to make new legal rules about mixing in people's private homes and gardens. Instead, we will issue updated and strengthened guidance to help people know what they need to do to keep themselves and others safe. We are relying on that advice and guidance, because, in this next wave of coronavirus, some important circumstances have changed.