Coronavirus: Wales makes it illegal to stand close at work
The social distancing legislation will be the first of its kind in the UK.
Friday 3 April 2020 20:02, UK
Wales is to introduce a law compelling employers to ensure workers keep at least two metres apart to tackle the spread of coronavirus.
The social distancing legislation will be the first of its kind in the UK and is aimed at ensuring bosses "put the needs of their workforce first" during the pandemic, according to First Minister Mark Drakeford.
"It's been advice up until now, and now it's going to be part of the regulations," he said.
The law, which will come into force on Monday or Tuesday, was announced by Mr Drakeford at his daily coronavirus news briefing on Friday.
He said it was in response to Welsh people saying they were fearful for their health while at work, as the number of confirmed cases in the country increased by 345 to 2,466.
Public Health Wales recorded another 24 deaths of COVID-19 patients on Friday, taking the total to 141.
The UK-wide tally for fatalities now stands at 3,605, with 38,168 people having tested positive.
Mr Drakeford said businesses should still be able to operate with the new social distancing law in place, with such measures having so far been limited to essential food-buying locations such as supermarkets.
"This is not about stopping business from operating," he said.
"This is about business operating in a way that is safe for their employees."
With Health Secretary Matt Hancock having suggested that the expected peak for coronavirus deaths in the UK remains more than a week away, Mr Drakeford also warned of a "difficult month" for families in Wales.
He said he expects that the current three-week lockdown, which has reached its halfway point, will be extended and urged the government to clear up its ambitions for testing.
Mr Hancock announced on Thursday that the UK aims to hit 100,000 coronavirus tests per day by the end of April, although there was later some confusion as to whether the target only applied to England.
Downing Street clarified on Friday morning that it was indeed a UK-wide target.
Mr Drakeford said: "It's clarity that's important and checking to make sure that when figures are announced, that it's accurate so people know they can rely on them."
He added that Wales was carrying out 1,100 tests a day, with a pledge to be at 5,000 tests a day by the middle of the month and 9,000 tests a day over the rest of April.