Update from Thursdays Industry meeting with the Minister for Economy

The Omicron variant presents a significant threat due to the volume of 

people it is infecting rapidly. There are 4m people in the UK who have 

had NO vaccination whatsoever, so if they were to become infected 

swiftly and hospitalised, then the Health system would collapse. That 

doesn't include the vaccinated people who would be infected and 

therefore have to remain at home isolated, many of which would probably 

be Healthworkers on the 'coal face'.

Therefore we need to be as cautious as we can and as sensible as we can 

about what we do and that we get the Booster or vaccinated urgently and 

encourage all of our employees to do so too. Betsi Cadwallader 

healthboard have released a booking system for drop-in clinics across 

North Wales so everyone can get vaccinated/ booster jabs by the end of 

December..

For businesses this of course poses a major threat hence the 

introduction of 'work from home' weherever possible and guidance to wear 

face masks whenever and wherever you are, including guidance for 

Hospitality businesses to ask customers to wear masks when not seated 

eating or drinking. It is emphasised that this is Guidance and NOT 

Regulation at present. This is the stance taken in Scotland too and 

there is a belief that if we continue to follow these guidelines we can 

slow down transmission. There was no suggestion that immediate closure 

of Hospitality Businesses is on the cards and nor is there a suggestion 

that urgent regulatory controls will be brought in tomorrow, but the 

Welsh cabinet were meeting Thursday evening to finalise the GUIDANCE.

A key reason for this is that there is currently no funds available from 

Westminster and therefore any support likely to be offered from Cardiff 

is likely to be small and targetted similar to the way it was earlier 

this year. That is to say towards Nightclubs, Pubs, cafes and 

restaurants who have seen an impact of people being encouraged to stay 

away from social contact. Nothing has been stated categorically on this. 

We continue to fight for support and need your help by telling me what 

impacts you are facing such as lost revenue, cancellations and customer 

confusion.

There is a belief that although the Omicron variant is spreading 

swiftly, we won't see it substantially in Wales until mid January and 

that it will last for 4-5 weeks as it spreads. This would mean that 

there would be the chance to get Hospitality fully operational again by 

spring if there was a need to put some restriction on the way we 

operate/ intensley regulate us and that a means to do that could be the 

introduction of legislation for Covid Passes to enter Events and 

Hospitality (as happens currently in France), but that there is no firm 

plans to introduce Covid passes in Wales this week.

As soon as we are aware of any changes to this position we will notify 

members, but in the meantime continue to trade and be responsible 

employers as you have done throughout this unprecedented period and 

continue to reassure your customers that every precaution necessary is 

in place in your business.