A sharp rise in Covid infections in Llanelli over the last week has led to the country’s first micro lock-down. Local Senedd Member Lee Waters, and MP Nia Griffith, are urging people in the area to stick to the new rules to stop the virus spreading further.
From 6pm tomorrow, a ‘health protection zone’ will be set up in Llanelli Town. This will cover all of Llanelli town, Bynea, Llwynhendy, Dafen, Felinfoel, Swiss Valley, Hengoed, Llangennech and Hendy.
As in other parts of south Wales where there have been local lockdowns the rules on extended households no longer apply – meaning you cannot gather indoors with anyone outside of your own household. You are still allowed to meet with up to 30 people outdoors, provided you observe social distancing.
You will only be allowed to leave the areas listed if you have a reasonable excuse such as going to work, school, caring or shopping that cannot be done locally. The same will apply to people entering the area.
“These new restrictions have been put in place after the Llanelli area’s rate of infection rose to 151 per 100,000 people. This is a significant rise, and a rate far higher than Cardiff. Through successful use of the Welsh track and trace system Public Health Wales have been able to identify the 109 people in Llanelli who have tested positive for Covid and have traced 977 people they have been on contact with and given them advice on whether they should self-isolate and get tested” Lee Waters said.
“This is the first time a lockdown hasn’t been applied to on a county-wide basis. That’s because the vast majority of new cases in the past week have been in and around Llanelli, accounting for eight out of ten cases in Carmarthenshire as a whole. So this targeted lockdown is designed to try and stamp it out quickly. We’ve seen in Caerphilly that where people comply with the new restrictions that the virus can be successfully brought under control so we appeal to people locally to do the same” Nia Griffith said.
Lee Waters added “We’re urging people in the area to please abide by these new restrictions, think carefully about the journeys you make and people you see, and above all help us to protect our most vulnerable residents. These restrictions are going to be reviewed after 14 days, so if we pull together now, we can get through this. Our teams will be available to answer any questions you have, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”
Lee.waters@senedd.wales (01554 774 902)
Nia.griffith.mp@parliament.uk (01554 756 374)
Cllr Rob James, Leader of the Labour Group on Carmarthenshire County Council added: “It is right that these measures be taken now after we have seen a significant, and concentrated, rise in Coronavirus cases recently. Labour Councillors will work with Carmarthenshire Council and Dyfed Powys Police to ensure that the rules are enforced in an appropriate manner.”
“We have seen in other areas of Wales that by all of us playing our part, we can reverse this trend and protect our communities.”