Fears are growing that easing of the lockdown could spark a second wave of Covid-19 cases, putting the people of rural West Wales at risk.

Infection rates locally have so far been low. But there are now fears that a loosening of rules could lead to a surge of cases here.

Dr Phil Kloer, of Hywel Dda Health Board, said if the lockdown is removed rapidly, “we would inevitably see a peak in 10 days to two weeks“.

Ceredigion AM Elin Jones warned there isn’t a ‘one-size fits all’ policy for the country - and “we cannot allow decisions that may be based on the number of Covid-19 hospital admissions in London to dictate lockdown measures in Ceredigion”.

“A one-size-fits-all policy may no longer be appropriate for the whole of the UK, or even the whole of Wales,” she said.

Ms Jones called for more local community testing and a fully-operational contact tracing system before we move from full lockdown.

She said Ceredigion council has developed a contact tracing method and is “leading the way on this in Wales”.

“Local control measures may well be the best way to deal with coronavirus in the future if UK decisions do not adequately reflect the reality of Ceredigion,” she said.

Fears have been raised that the area may be more vulnerable to a second wave due to tourism.

But speaking to the Cambrian News, First Minister Mark Drakeford said they have no plans to “simply throw those controls up in the air and say to people it’s fine to travel into those areas again”. Mr Drakeford said coming out of lockdown in Wales “will be careful, it will be gradual, it will be cautious”.

“Certainly in my mind that does not involve, in that first period as we begin to take those steps, inviting people to visit those spots again in large numbers,” he said. “We would just end up reimposing all the lockdown measures we have now.”