Covid: Limit reached on government 'telling people what to do'

Authorities have "reached the limit... [of] telling people what to do", Wales' top doctor has said, warning of a "perilous" rise in coronavirus cases.

However, chief medical officer Frank Atherton said ministers were considering whether more restrictions would be needed in the coming weeks.

Asked if that could happen before Christmas, he said: "That's something ministers are considering."

The first minister Mark Drakeford had appeared to rule that out on Tuesday.

Facing the same question, in the Senedd, Mr Drakeford said: "I don't think that means that we will be taking further measures this side of Christmas."

Speaking to Dot Davies on BBC Radio Wales on Thursday, Dr Atherton urged people to think about their behaviour to keep themselves safe.

He has previously said he will not be visiting relatives in Northern Ireland and England over Christmas.

There will be a time lag before officials know the effect of the current rules, including the ban on serving alcohol in hospitality venues.

"Ministers are considering what to do in the period immediately after Christmas to try to give us some headroom into January," Dr Atherton said.

"But the reality is we are in a difficult position in Wales. We are in a difficult position in the UK, but Wales has the highest rates at the moment of the four nations.

"And so it's down to all of us to think about what we can do to keep ourselves safe.

"I really believe that we have reached the limit of what we can do through legislation, through telling people what to do."

"We have to say to the people of Wales, 'Look at the situation we are in'.

"It really is quite perilous."

Dr Atherton also warned parents should not be talking at school gates, because of the risk of Covid-transmission, and "we need to have as little contact as possible".

"Even that kind of level of human contact in the winter with the level of virus transmission that we have in Wales can pass [on] the virus", he said.