All measures taken to combat the spread of Covid-19, from the earlier national lockdown; to local lockdowns; to the ‘rule of six’; and to the compulsory wearing of face coverings in shops must be proportional to the risk, and with time limits, writes Russell George.

Safeguarding lives as well as livelihoods must remain a priority so I sincerely hope these new restrictions are in place for as short a time as possible.

As we continue to deal with the effects of the pandemic, we all hope we can begin on our road to recovery and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of those who work on the front line.

It has been especially rewarding for me to visit a number of them throughout Montgomeryshire while the Senedd has been in recess.

I hope the ‘rule of six’ will prove to be only necessary for a short period of time and that the Welsh Government will be able to provide people with more opportunities to see their loved ones.

This includes allowing visits to care homes, extending household bubbles, and enabling more people to attend events such as weddings and funerals. These measures will have a positive impact on people’s mental and physical well-being.

I am also pleased the mandatory use of face coverings has been extended to indoor spaces where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Wales must maintain a safe and sensible approach to lifting restrictions which maximises personal freedoms while continuing to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. Face coverings are a useful visual as well as practical tool to help reduce the risk of transmission, whilst giving people more confidence in public spaces.

As well as the health implications of Covid-19, this pandemic is also about livelihoods.

It is a public health emergency as well as an economic emergency. Coronavirus is here for the foreseeable future, so plans must be implemented to deal with it.

For me, a targeted approach – including, if necessary, local lockdowns – is the way forward. Anything else, any further blanket national lockdown, will again have a damaging effect on our economy, on our young people’s education, and on the health of our nation.