PEOPLE in Wales have been told to expect some new restrictions to be announced to reduce the spread of the omicron variant on Friday

On Tuesday, Health Minister Eluned Morgan said there is a "likelihood that we will see some additional restrictions announced at the next review".

That covid review will take place on Thursday, and the results expected to be shared either that evening or on Friday.

First Minister Mark Drakeford will then confirm any new measures on Friday.

However, Ms Morgan said it should stop short of another full lockdown, adding that any national lockdown would be difficult without the financial support of the UK Government.

On future restrictions, Ms Morgan add that "the last thing we want to do is to cancel Christmas...[but] we are not taking anything off the table either".

She added: "The best thing for everyone to do... is to take precautions now. The more you mix now, the more likely you are to contract Covid and this form of Covid."

People should take lateral flow tests before socialising, particularly with older and vulnerable people, the health minister recommended.

Ms Morgan, who held the briefing alongside Dr Gillian Richardson, said people should be prepared for cases to rise very quickly.

"We must be prepared for cases to rise very quickly and very steeply," she adds.

She said the authorities are learning more about Omicron "every day" including the effectiveness of the available vaccines.

Dr Richardson says researchers around the world are investigating why Omicron seems to be spreading more quickly than other strains of the virus.

Vaccine protection "improves considerably" after a booster dose.

"Two doses of the vaccine may not be enough to protect us against Omicron," she said.

The drive to give every adult in Wales a booster jab by the end of the year will be felt by the health service.

Health boards will be "trying to maintain as much as possible" but some services may be slower, Dr Richardson said.

The emergency services will also be deployed, and medical students at universities will be asked to help the vaccine effort.

Emergency and essential health services will not be affected by the changes.

Ms Morgan says Wales has "planned before we announce" changes and there are "armies of people who are going to be helping out".

While there may be an impact on some planned care, this will be a "three week burst of activity" and care should return to normal afterwards.