Covid: Gyms open and families hug as rules relax in Wales

Some families and friends have been able to hug for the first time in months and people went back to gyms as Covid lockdown rules eased in Wales.

Two households - plus another living on their own - can now form a "bubble" to meet and have contact indoors.

Gyms, swimming pools and community centres have reopened after a relaxing of restrictions while indoor classes for adults and children can restart.

Wales' Covid case rate has fallen to its lowest point in eight months.

Organised children's indoor activities - like sports classes, scouts, guides - can also restart for the first time since lockdown returned in December.

Indoor fitness classes can begin again for up to 15 adults, but only if they are organised and in a regulated setting, like a studio or gym.

However, children's birthday parties and family gatherings are still banned.

Children's soft play areas are not due to reopen until 17 May - the day pubs and restaurants are due to open indoors and all holiday accommodation can reopen.

Gyms, fitness facilities, leisure centres, spas and swimming pools were all able to reopen from Monday, with strict social distancing and sanitising procedures in place.

This latest easing of lockdown is the last act of the current Welsh Labour government before Thursday's Welsh Parliament election.

The change was originally planned for 10 May, but was moved forward by a week because of a drop in Covid cases, the Welsh government said.

The move followed pressure from gym owners and opposition parties.

"You can see everyone's really happy to be back," said Craig Hulme, owner of the Valhalla gym in Wrexham.

He added the "stop, start" nature of the restrictions had made it very difficult to develop the business, despite having invested in new equipment at the start of 2020.

The reintroduction of extended households means not just going into the homes of family bubbles - but having contact, like a hug or a cuddle.

Grandmother Ann Phillips was "very emotional" at giving first grandchild Theo - born in October - a cuddle for the first time in more than five months.

"It was so lovely and I was very emotional," said the 66-year-old from Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan.

"He's my first grandchild and not being able to give him a cuddle has been so hard but we've played by the rules and have been very cautious for the sake of everyone.

"So to hug him today was beautiful. It felt very familiar and now I can't wait to make up for lost time."

Theo's mum Liz, who lives in nearby Barry, took her six-month-old son to parents Tony and Ann's house on Monday for the "very special day" - which included plenty of tea and cakes.

"I'm so close to my parents so the last few months has been quite hard, especially as Theo is my first child," said Liz, 40.

"It meant the world to see mum and dad giving him a cuddle - and Theo loved having a hug from his grandparents. Today was a very special day."

Parent and baby and parent and toddler classes were able to restart from Monday - with strict Covid procedures - and Christie-Ann Jones was excited to get back for her daughter Eira-Lily and to spend time with their new friends.

The mother and daughter, from Cardiff, had gone to their first baby class in September before the winter lockdown.

After spending her maternity leave in lockdown, Ms Jones said it had then been hard not being able to talk to other new mothers, to "go through it together" and "bounce off" while sharing the experience of having a new baby.

"I'm so glad to be able to go out - it's been so isolating and lonely," she said.

"I haven't had that same connection with other mums - it's been so hard."

Well, you can make a splash now as pools are allowed to reopen - and bathers in Swansea wasted no time for a dip as the city's Penlan Leisure Centre opened just after midnight.

General Manager Jim Kelly said about 30 people queued to use the pool after it reopened at 12:01 BST on Monday.

"It was really good to see the excitement from those customers," he said.

Rhys Jones of Better, which runs leisure centres in Cardiff, said allowing gyms and pools to reopen would help prevent a further "health crisis".

"Exercising has been tough throughout the lockdown winter months and people have been robbed of the opportunity to enjoy regular exercise.

"This has had untold consequences on the physical and mental health of our population and for every day that leisure facilities remain closed, public health deteriorates further, and the risk of obesity and stress becomes critical."

The latest lockdown easing means Wales is entirely into its alert level three - or very high - tier of restrictions where many strict Covid rules remain in place in a bid to control the virus.

Although indoor entertainment venues, indoor visitor attractions and nightclubs remain shut, more sectors can reopen as the country has the lowest case rate and has vaccinated the highest percentage of people in the UK.

Wales' infection rate of 10.8 cases per 100,000 and its virus positivity rate are at their lowest since 1 September.

Covid patient hospital admissions are now in single figures and at their lowest since the start of the pandemic.

Wales is the last UK nation to reopen gyms and swimming pools for individual exercise.

But it is the first to allow adult indoor group exercise and indoor mixing of two households - those will not happen in England and Scotland until 17 May and in Northern Ireland until 24 May at the earliest.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said he could "allow more elements of normal life to return" because of a "successful" vaccination programme and an "improving public health situation".

"However, the virus has not gone away," he added, warning people to continue to wash hands regularly, wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces, follow social distancing rules and "limit the number of people we meet socially outdoors".

"By working together, by following these rules, the quicker we will return to normality," he added.

The easing of rules so gyms could reopen and people could form an extended household was due to happen on 17 May but was brought forward on 9 April.

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies called it "a last-minute and cynical sop just days before the election".

"People up and down Wales will be relieved that Labour is at last following the data," he said.

"But as the Welsh Conservatives have advocated, this could have come sooner and not as a last-minute and cynical sop just days before the election.

"On Thursday, people across Wales have an opportunity to end these political games and can turn the page on 22 years of Labour holding back our country and our economy."

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Plaid Cymru paid tribute to the "collective effort" of Wales residents for the latest rule easing.

Leader Adam Price said: "It remains the case that when further restrictions are eased that businesses must be supported with restart grants after an incredibly difficult start to the year.

"A Plaid Cymru government will provide restart grants of up to £20,000 to businesses in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors."

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said she was pleased to see the reopening of gyms and swimming pools but added many business were "still suffering".

She added: "At this week's election Welsh Liberal Democrats are pledging to put recovery first and are proposing an extensive and comprehensive package of support for our businesses and high street."