Wales could start quarantining visitors from UK regions with high Covid rates, health minister announces
Quarantine regulations for international travel may apply to visitors from ‘high incidence areas across UK’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Welsh Government is “actively considering” imposing quarantine restrictions on people travelling into Wales from areas of the UK with high levels of Covid-19, health minister Vaughan Gething has said.
Mr Gething told a press conference he has discussed the proposal with First Minister Mark Drakeford and said that “hotspot areas” in England “would have quarantine regulations” that apply to other countries and territories imposed.
Mr Drakeford had previously written to the prime minister calling on him to introduce travel restrictions for people in areas of England under local coronavirus lockdown.
In Wales, people are not permitted to enter or leave an area under a local lockdown without a reasonable excuse. This does not include travelling for a holiday.
“We’re actively considering what we should do and I’ve discussed it this morning with the First Minister,” said Mr Gething.
Coronavirus news: UK coronavirus cases hit highest ever daily total, as Wales announces more local lockdowns
Coronavirus: Weekly deaths in England and Wales now above 100, official figures show
Coronavirus: Nearly 60 per cent of Wales now under lockdown as restrictions extended
Coronavirus Wales: Local lockdown extended after ‘worrying and rapid rise in cases’
“We have quarantine regulations for international travel. So for some of the hotspot areas in the north of England, the North East and North West, and the West Midlands, if they were other countries or territories, we would have quarantine regulations for them to return to the UK.”
The health minister for Wales said any potential restrictions would apply to people from “high incidence areas across the UK”.
“We’re having to consider how we use our power to protect lower-prevalence areas of Wales but at the same time, we don’t want to take a whole-nation approach.
“There’s no good reason to prevent someone from Devon, at this point in time, coming to visit a pre-booked holiday or trip to Pembrokeshire.
“So we are thinking about how we use something that is proportionate and deals with the reality of the threat that we face.”
Mr Gething added that it was “disappointing” that Boris Johnson did not respond to Mr Drakeford’s letter asking for travel restrictions to be applied to areas of England under lockdown.
Mr Johnson said in a previous interview with BBC Wales that he did not want to impose such restrictions within the UK.
“So we then have to consider our own responsibility, our own powers and how we’ll draw that in a way that is proportionate to the risk we face,” said Mr Gething.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments