SIX areas in Wales -Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport and Blaenau Gwent - are now in local lockdown.

With other areas, including Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire, facing local lockdowns as cases of coronavirus rise it is, we take a look at how restrictions impact on socialising with family and friends and how the measures are policed.

While people can still meet outdoors or in gardens, extended households are no longer allowed to meet indoors.

Can I visit family or friends outside of my area while in local lockdown?

"Generally speaking, no. However if you need to, you can leave the area to provide care for, or to help someone who needs it, such as an older person, a child or a vulnerable adult.

"But you should consider whether there are alternative sources of support available and we strongly recommend that you do not visit more than one person outside the area.

"You can also leave the area to visit someone on compassionate grounds if necessary.

In considering whether there is a need to travel outside the area, please keep in mind that the purpose of the new restrictions is to prevent the transmission of the virus, including to those we care about – both within the area and outside it.

"People will need to make judgements for themselves about what is reasonable, in line with that overarching principle."

I share parental responsibility of my child, can they visit the other person regardless of where they live?

"Yes. You can continue existing arrangements for access and contact if you share parental responsibility for your child with another person, including leaving the local area if needed.

"Please ensure you follow the guidance on frequent handwashing and do not place others at risk if you or a member of your household is self-isolating.

"If however you have coronavirus symptoms, live in the same house as or are an identified contact of someone with symptoms, you should stay at home and children shouldn’t visit."

The Leader:

Gwent Police are on the Newport/Cardiff border conducting roadside checks for local coronavirus restrictions

How the police will enforce it

Chief Superintendent Tom Harding spoke to the Leader's sister title the Argus to explain how Gwent Police would be enforcing the new restrictions in Caerphilly, Newport and Blaenau Gwent.

"We are already doing work in licensed premises, and over the next couple of days we will be introducing road checks," he said.

"We are going to look to move these around the affected areas. We will put officers out and pull over vehicles at random. We did this previously and it was successful.

"I hope 99 per cent of those interactions will be polite and prompt, checking where they are heading and sending them on their way.

"We are not looking to cause mass disruption."

Chief Supt Harding said the force would be looking to educate and engage with people and businesses, only fining people who are deliberately flouting the new restrictions.

"It's different in terms of restrictions so we have a lot of people to engage with. We have to explain to people what they can and can't do and encourage people to follow the restrictions.

"Ultimately, we will enforce when people are deliberately breaking the rules.

"This time around, people know the seriousness of the disease. When we identify people deliberately not following the regulations, we will be issuing fines."

When asked if he was concerned if people would be fed-up of lockdown, and not comply with the new measures, Chief Supt Harding said: "There's a concern there will be a fatigue around lockdown, but this lockdown is far less restrictive.

"This time people can go out to the shops or meet friends outside.

"I understand people will find it difficult, but we want to keep as many freedoms as we can, and the way we do that is by all working together to abide by these restrictions. If we don't we could end up with more onerous restrictions."

Chief Supt Harding said the new measures would not mean dedicating a section of the force to enforcement.

"For us it's not about specifically dedicating resources to this, but how we adapt what we do on a daily basis.

"We've done 40 licensed premises checks in Newport on Tuesday, and that was just with our neighbourhood teams working with the council.

"We will be policing it, but our normal policing services are still available. We want people to call us.

"A big concern last time we were in lockdown was domestic abuse. We don't want people affected by this to feel like they can't call us."

What makes an area go into lockdown while others avoid it?

Newport and Blaenau Gwent joined Caerphilly in lockdown when new restrictions came into force at 6pm last night - but there are no such restrictions in neighbouring Monmouthshire and Torfaen.

So how have these two areas avoided local lockdown?

Until the end of August, all areas seemed to be following the same trend, though with higher peaks for some than others.

After the initial rise in Spring, only a handful of cases were logged weekly in all five authorities throughout the summer.

However, as September approached Caerphilly saw a large spike in cases, peaking at 216 cases in week 37, 50 per cent higher than the worst week in the area in Spring.

Newport also saw spike in cases in September, which health minister Vaughan Gething said was linked to a house party in August.

Mr Gething said: "In Newport the rise in cases appeared to start with a house party at the end of August and was subsequently linked to a number of pubs.

"But we are now seeing a wide spread of cases across the city, which are not linked to a particular cluster or showing links with existing cases."

While Blaenau Gwent did not see the immediate spike that Caerphilly and Newport did, there has been a noticeable rise in the last two weeks.

Last week Public Health Wales recorded 58 new coronavirus cases in Blaenau Gwent, more than double the 26 recorded the prior week.

In comparison, while rising slightly, Monmouthshire recorded double figures of cases last week for just the first time since May.

While, Torfaen saw a reduction in the number of coronavirus cases found last week compared to the week before, dropping from 20 cases to 13.

How long will it last?

First Minister Mark Drakeford is aiming to get the affected areas out of local coronavirus lockdown 'as soon as it is safe to do so'.

He was speaking in response to a question from Newport East MS John Griffiths, who asked how long the city's residents could expect to be living under the new restrictions.

In the virtual Senedd session, Mr Drakeford said that the local lockdown in Newport, which came into effect from 6pm yesterday evening, is due to be reviewed in two weeks' time.

"My ambition is for those restrictions progressively to be lightened as soon as it is safe for us to do so," he said.

"I think there is a realistic prospect that that outbreak will be brought back under control as rapidly as possible, and then some of the measures we've needed to put in place will be able to be removed."

However, he stressed that this was dependent on the residents of Newport doing their part to ensure the spread of the virus was brought under control.

He said that the work being carried out by the contact tracing team in Newport so far was "absolutely outstanding".

"Provided they continue to have the co-operation of local people," lockdown measures may be eased soon, said Mr Drakeford.

What local people think

Most people reporters on our sister paper the South Wales Argus spoke to in Newport understood why lockdown had been introduced even if they didn't necessarily agree with the timing.

Clive Symons, a retiree, said he had no problem with the guidance but thought it may not be needed just yet.

He said: "I didn't think it was that bad at the moment to be honest, but I have no issue with lockdown if that is what is needed.

"It is better for it to come in too soon than too late at the end of the day.

"We don't want to be overwhelmed before we get on top of things.

"I'm quite lucky that my family are local, so I don't know if it will have a massive impact on me."

Others were hopeful that an early lockdown will allow things to open up further down the line.

Sabine Jenkins said: "I support it.

"I think if we can get on top of it now that is a good thing.

"What I am worried about is being in lockdown at Christmas.

"If this is what we have to do now to avoid that then so be it."