The action is being taken after the Prime Minister did not
respond to the First Minister’s requests to make advisory
travel guidance in English coronavirus hotspots mandatory.
Under new regulations being prepared by Welsh Ministers,
people living in areas with a high-prevalence of coronavirus
in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland would not be able
to travel to Wales for the time being.
They will help prevent the virus moving from such
high-prevalence areas to lower-prevalence communities.
First Minister said:
“Evidence from public health professionals suggests
coronavirus is moving from east to west across the UK and
across Wales. As a general rule, it is concentrating in
urban areas and then spreading to more sparsely populated
areas as a result of people travelling.
“Much of Wales is now subject to local restriction measures
because levels of the virus have risen and people living in
those areas are not able to travel beyond their county
boundary without a reasonable excuse. This is designed to
prevent the spread of infection within Wales and to other
areas of the UK.
“We are preparing to take this action to prevent people who
live in areas where there are higher covid infection rates
across the UK from travelling to Wales and bringing the
virus with them.
“I am determined to keep Wales safe.”
The Welsh Government is finalising its regulatory approach to
the travel restrictions.
The new restrictions are planned to come into force on Friday
October 16 at 6pm.
