Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Health and Social Services
International travel is resuming but the pandemic is not over and protecting people’s health remains our main priority. Our strong advice continues to be not to travel overseas unless it is essential because of the risk of contracting coronavirus, especially new and emerging variants of concern.
We are aware of the UK Government’s proposals for easing restrictions for travellers who have received two vaccinations returning from amber list countries to England. We will weigh up all the available evidence and make a decision for Wales.
Following the three-week review of the restrictions on international travel we continue to follow the same traffic-light approach as the rest of the UK.
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Balearic Islands, Barbados, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Madeira, Malta Montserrat, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands have been moved to the green list.
We have also agreed to add Israel to the green watch list – this identifies countries most at risk of moving from green to amber, so travellers have some warning a destination may be moved to amber.
Six countries – the Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Haiti, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda – are joining the red list. All changes to the lists will come into effect at 4am on Wednesday 30 June.
Our message is clear – this is the year to holiday at home. We’re calling on people to only travel overseas for essential reasons. We have all sacrificed so much to control the pandemic in Wales, we do not want to see the virus re-imported – or new variants come into the country – as a result of overseas travel.