Sport spectator ban and the Covid rules now

Spectators will be banned from all sporting events in Wales from Boxing Day and we list the Covid rules affecting our lives.

Spectators will be banned to try to control the spread of the Omicron Covid variant with Welsh Government saying the rule applies to all indoor, outdoor, professional and community sports events.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said a £3m Spectator Sports Fund will be available to support clubs and venues.

Ministers will meet later today (Tuesday) to discuss post-Christmas hospitality restrictions with the industry fearing bad news.

Nightclubs will close from December 27 and social distancing in offices will be reintroduced. Measures will be put in place to protect customers and staff, such as one-way systems and barriers.

Face masks are still required in most public places, including buses, shops and hospitals.

From 20 December, it is the law to work from home where possible.

So what are the Covid rules in Wales?

. As of August 7, the majority of Covid restrictions were lifted in Wales as the country moved into alert level zero. It meant that limits on who you could meet came to an end and people were allowed to have anyone at their home and have physical contact with them.

But as the new Omicron variant spreads across the UK, the Welsh government is advising people to reduce contact with others, especially if seeing older or more vulnerable people over Christmas.

. It is now an offence not to work from home if you are able.

. You have to self-isolate if you are identified as a close contact of a suspected Omicron case. Contact tracers will tell you if this is the case and you'll be asked to take a PCR test on days two and eight of isolation.

. You'll also be asked to self-isolate and get PCR-tested if someone from your household shows Covid symptoms or tests positive. If it's not an Omicron case and you test negative, you can end self-isolation but are advised to avoid contact with vulnerable people in the short term.

. Other contacts of non-Omicron cases are asked to take PCR tests on days two and eight.

. Gyms, swimming pools, leisure centres, community centres and fitness facilities remain open but the Welsh government has said services face extra measures "such as one-way systems and physical barriers".