Vaughan Gething, Minister for Health and Social Services
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Members will be aware that the Welsh Government made provision in the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020 to ensure that travellers entering Wales from overseas countries and territories must isolate for 14 days and provide passenger information, to prevent the further spread of coronavirus. These restrictions came into force on 8 June 2020.
On 10 July, the Welsh Government amended these Regulations to introduce exemptions from the isolation requirement for a list of countries and territories, and a limited range of people in specialised sectors or employment who may be exempted from the isolation requirement or excepted from certain provisions of the passenger information requirements.
Since then these Regulations have been kept under review and a number of changes to the list of exempt countries and territories have been made.
Today I reviewed the latest JBC assessments and I have decided that Italy, Vatican City State and San Marino will be removed from the list of exempt countries and territories, so travellers from these countries will need to isolate on arrival in Wales. I have also decided that the Greek island of Crete will no longer be excluded from the exemption for Greece, and therefore will be considered as an exempt territory.
Tomorrow I will lay the necessary regulations which will come into force at 04:00 on Sunday 18 October.