THE Omicron variant of Covid-19 will go a long way to deciding if Covid passes will be extended to pubs and restaurants in Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said.

Ministers are to consider whether to expand the scheme over the next week, with the next Covid rules review set to take place on Friday.

Mr Drakeford said the emergence of the Omicron variant has led to circumstances developing "so fast".

The first case of Omicron was confirmed in Wales on Friday.

Covid passes are currently needed in Wales for nightclubs, cinemas, concerts, theatres and some events.

Speaking on the Politics Wales programme, Mr Drakeford said: "We've got another week to go. We will learn a lot in that week about the Omicron virus.

"If we were to do it, it would simply be to help those businesses to stay open and still attracting customers through the door because people would feel confident that everybody else in that setting were either vaccinated or had taken a lateral flow test.

"But we haven't made that decision, and we won't make that decision right up until the day we have to, because circumstances and knowledge are developing so fast around the new variant that you ought to wait to have the maximum amount of information that you can."

Mr Drakeford added he could not claim the Covid pass scheme was making a difference "above the fact that it makes that extra marginal difference alongside everything else you do".

He also said there were no plans to bring the Christmas school holidays forward.