SCHOOLS and reopening the tourism sector were hot topics for Mark Drakeford as he issued the latest update on the coronavirus in Wales today, Friday.

Speaking at a press conference in Cardiff, the First Minister outlined some of his hopes under the country’s slow and cautious approach out of the December lockdown.

On bringing children back to school, the FM acknowledges how difficult the last year has been on young people. However, he could not predict when more pupils will be allowed do return to their schools following almost a year of disruption to their learning.

He said: "You are only a child once, and what our children have lost is not just education but everything you get from growing up alongside people of your age. That is why getting children back to face-to-face learning remains our top priority.

"I wish I could give a more definitive timetable than I am able to do on this.

"It is a really important start on February 22. We need to make sure that we learn from that experience. As soon as we can demonstrate that has been a success, we will build on that.

"It won't be every child back, every day, in every classroom, but I am very encouraged by the way in which our union colleagues and local education authority colleagues have come together to put the needs of those young people first."

On businesses, he said that providing levels of infection levels continue to fall in Wales, pressure on NHS eases and the vaccination programme carries on growing - Wales can open up more towards spring.

The minister told the Leader that he knows firms would rather be trading than waiting for Welsh Government funding to keep afloat.

He said: “The key dates for people to think about are the three-week cycle we use for reviewing the restrictions.

"I will be back next week with the outcome of the current review and there will be another on March 11.

"That is when we have to make these very challenging decisions, balancing the wish of everyone to be outside against the need to maintain vigilance against the virus.

"That will be the judgement we will be making. We will do it on that three-week cycle so that people can have certainty."

Mr Drakeford went on to say that there is hope in Wales that tourism and hospitality could begin to reopen around the Easter period of April should conditions allow.

However, he said: "That is a path that depends upon continuing success. We have learned so often that the virus continues to have very unpleasant surprises up its sleeve.

"We are by no means guaranteed a smooth path. But we are planning on the basis that things will improve because they have since the start of the New Year."

Moving too quickly and allowing places to reopen without the safe headroom created by the Welsh people by following lockdown rules would be a recipe for disaster.

The Labour MS drew comparison to Australia to show just how quickly a situation can change – who face a five day “circuit-breaker” from today, Friday, following a cluster of 13 coronavirus cases linked to a hotel at Melbourne Airport.

The Welsh Government will give their next COVID-19 update at 12.15pm on Monday, February 15.