VISITORS to Wales from Belgium, Andorra and the Bahamas will have to quarantine for 14 days, the Health Minister has confirmed.
The new restrictions will come into force from midnight tonight, Vaughan Gething confirmed.
Mr Gething added that Brunei and Malaysia were being removed from the quarantine list as the number of coronavirus cases had been reduced there.
READ MORE:
- More than five weeks since coronavirus death in Gwent - but three more in Wales.
- Coronavirus: Follow our live updates throughout the day.
- Charging drivers to use Clean Air Zones among proposals to cut pollution in Wales.
"Yesterday (Wednesday), I attended a meeting of ministers from all four UK countries to consider the public health risk posed by an increasing prevalence of Covid-19 in Andorra, the Bahamas and Belgium," said Mr Gething.
"Having considered the evidence for the public health risk now posed by travellers who enter the UK from these places, the Welsh Government will later today remove Andorra, the Bahamas and Belgium from the list of countries and territories exempt from our health measures at the border.
📢 Changes to quarantine requirements in Wales 👇
— Welsh Government (@WelshGovernment) August 6, 2020
From midnight tonight, anyone who arrives in Wales from Andorra, the Bahamas and Belgium will be required to isolate for 14 days.
This is in response to a rise in coronavirus cases there. pic.twitter.com/QbwecIRQ9k
"Together with other UK ministers, I have also considered the public health risk posed by a decreasing prevalence of Covid-19 in Brunei and Malaysia.
"As a consequence, the Welsh Government will also later today add Brunei and Malaysia to the list of countries and territories exempt from our health measures at the border.
"These amendments will mean that anyone who arrives in Wales from Andorra, the Bahamas and Belgium or who has been in any of those countries or territories during the last 14 days will be required to isolate for 14 days as of tomorrow (Friday).
"Anyone who arrives in Wales from Brunei or Malaysia, on the other hand, from tomorrow will not be required to isolate for 14 days."
The other UK Governments will impose the same restrictions, but they will not come in to force until 4am on Saturday.
Data shows we need to remove Andorra, Belgium and The Bahamas from our list of #coronavirus Travel Corridors in order to keep infection rates DOWN. If you arrive in the UK after 0400 Saturday from these destinations, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) August 6, 2020
Brunei and Malaysia are not the first nations to be removed from the list of countries that require visitors to Wales to quarantine.
Serbia was removed from the list on July 11, while restrictions on Spain and its islands were removed on July 26.
Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia and St Vincent and the Grenadines have all previously had restrictions imposed in Wales.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here