A Powys politician has called for an immediate easing of coronavirus restrictions in Wales – and an end date when all Covid laws will be scrapped entirely.

The emergence of the Omicron variant in December 2021 led to record case numbers in Wales, though cases have continued to fall since mid-January 2022.

On January 28 Wales moved to the lowest level of restrictions, alert level zero – but Montgomeryshire MS Russell George said this should soon be removed as well.

Mr George clarified that he is not “anti-mask”, but added: “We have reached the point where they should now be a matter of self-responsibility.”

Referring to businesses in mid Wales, he added: “They need to be free of the constant threat of restrictions and lockdowns whenever a hypothetical variant is spoken about. This is no way to run an economy and Wales can never move on as it stands without change.

“That’s why I am calling on the Labour Government for the immediate removal of vaccine passports, all remaining business restrictions, and mandatory face masks in schools. The date to scrap all Covid laws should also be announced imminently.

“If we can’t live with the virus now or soon, we never will.”

Mr George released the statement outlining his stance for how the Welsh government should approach Covid in the future after criticism was directed at the Welsh Conservatives during a debate on the impact of Covid-19 on school pupils.

He said: “There has been a lot of criticism directed at those who have said we are reaching the point where we as a country should live with coronavirus.

“And I do not mean it as Mark Drakeford did when he suggested we were living with the virus shortly before Christmas, despite numerous restrictions still being in place.

“Some seem to forget that the United Kingdom has one of the most successful vaccine procurement and rollout programmes in the world. Others also seem to forget that we were told vaccines are the route out of restrictions.

“And they are: vaccines work and the booster jab showed its resilience against the Omicron variant, which the Welsh Government responded to with unnecessary restrictions.”