SCHOOL children will not return to school before the February half term unless there is a ‘dramatic drop’ in coronavirus cases as lockdown is extended in Wales.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced that schools and colleges will remain closed until 22 February unless Wales sees a dramatic drop in coronavirus cases in the next three weeks.

Following a review, it has been confirmed that Wales will remain in alert level four lockdown with non-essential retail, hospitality venues, licensed premises and leisure facilities all remaining closed until at least 29 January, when the measures will be next reviewed.

The Welsh Government has also said that lockdown restrictions will be strengthened in ‘some key areas’ which will include the closure of showrooms and a review into whether supermarkets and major retailers “need to put additional measures in place to protect people in store and what else employers need to do to protect people in the workplace and support people to work from home.”

This review comes after fears were raised over the new, highly infectious strain of Covid-19 spreading from person to person in shops and workplaces that remain open.

Cases of coronavirus remain very high in Wales and the new variant strain of the virus – first identified in parts of Wales, London and South East England before Christmas – now has a firm foothold in North Wales, says the Welsh Government.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “The coronavirus pandemic has reached a significant point.

“Cases in Wales remain very high and our NHS is under real and sustained pressure.

“The alert level four restrictions we introduced before Christmas must remain in place to keep us all safe.

“To slow the spread of the virus, we all must stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

“These feel like dark times but the new Covid-19 vaccines are being rolled out across Wales, giving us a path out of this pandemic.

“It will take a huge effort to vaccinate everyone and, despite the end of this pandemic being in sight, it is more important than ever that we follow the rules and stay at home. We have made so many sacrifices together and we mustn’t stop now.”

Following a formal review of the alert level four lockdown restrictions, which were introduced at midnight on 19 December, all the measures will remain in place.

This means non-essential retail, hospitality venues, licensed premises and leisure facilities will remain closed.

The measures will be strengthened to close all showrooms. They will still be able to operate click and collect arrangements.

The Welsh Government is also reviewing whether major supermarkets and retailers need to put additional measures in place to protect people in store and what else employers need to do to protect people in the workplace and support people to work from home.

The First Minister added: “This new strain adds a new and unwelcome dimension to the pandemic.

“Wherever there’s mixing; wherever people come together, the new strain is spreading – it is highly transmissible and spreads very quickly from person to person.”

The news that schools will remain closed until at least the beginning of February has been welcomed by one teaching union.

Dilwyn Roberts-Young, General Secretary of UCAC said “This decision is based on medical evidence, and keeps to the Education Minister’s key principle that ‘evidence and information’ is the only way to secure ‘the confidence of parents, staff and students’.

“This statement will provide schools and colleges with some time to make preparations for their education provision.

“It will also give parents the opportunity to put arrangements in place, bearing in mind that many school staff will themselves be parents.

“UCAC has committed itself to working at national, regional and local level to ensure that staff and pupils can return to schools and colleges as soon as it is safe to do so.”