UK Health Secretary Hits Out at Welsh Restriction That Cancels Parkrun Event

All parkrun events have been cancelled in Wales as a result of the government's COVID-19 restrictions. Victoria Jones/PA

The UK’s Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Tuesday that one of the CCP virus restrictions in Wales is neither “justified” nor “proportionate” after Parkrun events were cancelled.

Since Dec. 26, a maximum of 30 people are allowed to attend indoor events in Wales and a maximum of 50 people are allowed at outdoor events.

As a result, Parkrun Limited, the company organising parkrun events worldwide, has decided to cancel its five-kilometer Parkrun events in Wales while the same events can go on in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Sharing Parkrun’s statement on the decision on Twitter, Javid said he couldn’t see the reason behind the restriction.

“Parkrun has helped so many people improve their health across the UK. I can’t see how restricting outdoor exercise in this way is justified or proportionate,” the health secretary said.

Outdoor sports was also banned in England last winter while Javid’s predecessor Matt Hancock was in office.

The Welsh government didn’t respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.

The number of reported daily COVID-19 cases in the UK has broken a new record on Tuesday, but the numbers of hospitalisations and deaths have remained low.

Governments in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have all reintroduced stringent CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus legal restrictions immediately after Christmas, while the UK government, which is responsible for public health policies in England, said it would hold off until at least after New Year because current evidence does not support more restrictions.

Face coverings are now compulsory in most indoor public spaces in England and Scotland and all indoor public spaces in Wales and Northern Ireland, with young children exempted.

NHS COVID Passes are also required across the UK, but with different requirements and in different settings.

Northern Ireland is the only nation accepting natural immunity for its COVID passes, while the other nations only accept full vaccination and negative tests.

In England, passes are required for nightclubs and large events. Wales and Scotland did require passes for nightclubs and large events, but nightclubs have now been ordered to shut and large events are banned. The passes are still required in Wales for cinemas and theatres. Nightclubs in Northern Ireland are also closed now, and passes are required for large events, cinemas, and theatres.

People across the UK have been advised to work from home if they can. The Welsh government made unnecessarily going into the office a criminal offense.

Scotland now requires one-metre social distancing, while Scotland and Northern Ireland require social distancing of two metres.

Wales resurrected the “rule of six” for meeting in public spaces while allowing up to 10 people to meet if they are from the same household. Up to three households can meet in public places in Scotland.

Hospitality services are restricted to table service only in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has banned unseated indoor events, Wales limited the number of attendees to 30, and Scotland capped the size of seated indoor events at 200 and unseated indoor events at 100.

Scotland restricted the number of outdoor event attendees to 500, while only 50 are allowed in Wales.

Scotland has also banned adult non-professional contact sports in indoor spaces.

England has shorted its required self-isolation period for people who test positive for the CCP virus, while the rest of the UK still requires a full 10-day isolation period.