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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Covid: Welsh quarantine considered for UK coronavirus hotspots | Covid: Welsh quarantine considered for UK coronavirus hotspots |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| People travelling to Wales from Covid hotspots elsewhere in the UK could face quarantine under measures being considered by the Welsh Government. | People travelling to Wales from Covid hotspots elsewhere in the UK could face quarantine under measures being considered by the Welsh Government. |
| Health Minister Vaughan Gething said if some parts of England were foreign countries Wales "would have quarantine regulations for them". | |
| But a senior Welsh Tory warned such a move would be a "dangerous slope". | |
| The prime minister has said he will not impose a travel ban on people living in lockdown areas in England. | |
| It is illegal for people to leave or enter locked down parts of Wales except for a limited set of reasons, like work or education, but a similar law does not exist for areas under local restrictions in England. | It is illegal for people to leave or enter locked down parts of Wales except for a limited set of reasons, like work or education, but a similar law does not exist for areas under local restrictions in England. |
| It means people in places like Leicester and Bolton can go on holiday elsewhere with people they live with. | It means people in places like Leicester and Bolton can go on holiday elsewhere with people they live with. |
| UK government Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said the UK government felt it was more "appropriate" to put "travel restrictions in guidance rather than in law". | |
| Wales' Health Minister Vaughan Gething said the Welsh Government would look at the matter on Monday: "We're actively considering it." | Wales' Health Minister Vaughan Gething said the Welsh Government would look at the matter on Monday: "We're actively considering it." |
| Mr Gething told a Welsh Government press conference ministers were considering how to use powers to protect areas with lower cases. | Mr Gething told a Welsh Government press conference ministers were considering how to use powers to protect areas with lower cases. |
| But he said there was "no good reason" to prevent someone from a low incidence area like Devon from travelling to Pembrokeshire. | But he said there was "no good reason" to prevent someone from a low incidence area like Devon from travelling to Pembrokeshire. |
| "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," Mr Gething said. | "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," Mr Gething said. |
| First Minister Mark Drakeford had written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week, asking for travel restrictions to prevent people visiting Wales from areas under lockdown in England. | First Minister Mark Drakeford had written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week, asking for travel restrictions to prevent people visiting Wales from areas under lockdown in England. |
| But Mr Johnson told BBC Wales: "We are all one country, people should exercise their common sense." | But Mr Johnson told BBC Wales: "We are all one country, people should exercise their common sense." |
| Mr Gething said it was "disappointing" Mr Johnson did not respond to the letter. | Mr Gething said it was "disappointing" Mr Johnson did not respond to the letter. |
| He added that if people travelled from an area like Liverpool there was a risk of "spreading events". | He added that if people travelled from an area like Liverpool there was a risk of "spreading events". |
| 'Dramatic action' | 'Dramatic action' |
| The Conservative health spokesman in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, said quarantine restrictions for people travelling to Wales from Covid hotspots in England was a "dangerous slope" for the Welsh Government to go down. | The Conservative health spokesman in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, said quarantine restrictions for people travelling to Wales from Covid hotspots in England was a "dangerous slope" for the Welsh Government to go down. |
| "If you start introducing such quarantine restrictions in Wales does that mean then there's a quid pro-quo that England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will start doing the same for Welsh residents? | "If you start introducing such quarantine restrictions in Wales does that mean then there's a quid pro-quo that England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will start doing the same for Welsh residents? |
| "There are all sorts of questions to be answered before you even entertain implementing such dramatic action." | "There are all sorts of questions to be answered before you even entertain implementing such dramatic action." |
| Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said he had called for measures to limit travel with Mark Drakeford for "two weeks running". | Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said he had called for measures to limit travel with Mark Drakeford for "two weeks running". |
| "At a time when we need to act quicker and smarter to eliminate the virus, it's regrettable that it took the UK government's negligent dismissal of travel restrictions to bounce the Welsh Government into action," he said. | "At a time when we need to act quicker and smarter to eliminate the virus, it's regrettable that it took the UK government's negligent dismissal of travel restrictions to bounce the Welsh Government into action," he said. |
| How are the restrictions different? | How are the restrictions different? |
| In Wales it is illegal to enter or leave the 15 locked-down council areas, and the the town of Llanelli, without a "reasonable excuse". That can include: | In Wales it is illegal to enter or leave the 15 locked-down council areas, and the the town of Llanelli, without a "reasonable excuse". That can include: |
| Travelling through the areas is legal, but breaches can be punished with fines, with a fixed penalty notice of £60 for a first offence. | Travelling through the areas is legal, but breaches can be punished with fines, with a fixed penalty notice of £60 for a first offence. |
| There is no similar legal restriction in England, although people in areas like Merseyside, Halton and Warrington have been asked to avoid non-essential travel. | There is no similar legal restriction in England, although people in areas like Merseyside, Halton and Warrington have been asked to avoid non-essential travel. |
| 'Huge disruption' | 'Huge disruption' |
| In the Commons the Labour MP for Swansea West, Geraint Davies, asked Mr Hancock if people travelling from England should quarantine when arriving in Wales. | In the Commons the Labour MP for Swansea West, Geraint Davies, asked Mr Hancock if people travelling from England should quarantine when arriving in Wales. |
| Mr Hancock said in response: "The primary transmission of the disease is between households and between households mixing with each other". | Mr Hancock said in response: "The primary transmission of the disease is between households and between households mixing with each other". |
| "And the approach that we've taken thus far in England since we came out of the initial full blown lockdown has been to put travel restrictions in guidance, rather than in law, because we felt that's the most appropriate thing to do. | "And the approach that we've taken thus far in England since we came out of the initial full blown lockdown has been to put travel restrictions in guidance, rather than in law, because we felt that's the most appropriate thing to do. |
| "I know that's not the approach that they're taking in Wales, but that's how we are currently handling it in England". | "I know that's not the approach that they're taking in Wales, but that's how we are currently handling it in England". |
| James Davies, Conservative Vale of Clwyd MP, has said the travel restrictions in north Wales have caused "huge disruption" to half a million people. | James Davies, Conservative Vale of Clwyd MP, has said the travel restrictions in north Wales have caused "huge disruption" to half a million people. |
| Mr Davies said people had not been allowed to cross "often meaningless county council boundaries." | Mr Davies said people had not been allowed to cross "often meaningless county council boundaries." |
| The health secretary added that he had shared proposals for a "simplified" approach to local lockdowns with the devolved governments. | The health secretary added that he had shared proposals for a "simplified" approach to local lockdowns with the devolved governments. |
| The UK government is understood to be planning a new three-tier approach to local coronavirus restrictions in England. | The UK government is understood to be planning a new three-tier approach to local coronavirus restrictions in England. |
| Mr Hancock said he had discussed these plans with Mr Gething and that it would "simplify further if it were undertaken across the UK." | Mr Hancock said he had discussed these plans with Mr Gething and that it would "simplify further if it were undertaken across the UK." |
| What has the UK government said? | What has the UK government said? |
| A UK government Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We work closely with local leaders and public health teams to inform decisions on local interventions, taking into account a range of factors." | A UK government Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We work closely with local leaders and public health teams to inform decisions on local interventions, taking into account a range of factors." |
| Public Health England, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and NHS Test and Trace "are constantly monitoring the levels of infection across the country," the spokesperson added. | Public Health England, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and NHS Test and Trace "are constantly monitoring the levels of infection across the country," the spokesperson added. |
| "We discuss measures with local directors of public health and local authorities, constantly reviewing the evidence and we will take swift targeted action where necessary." | "We discuss measures with local directors of public health and local authorities, constantly reviewing the evidence and we will take swift targeted action where necessary." |
| Data glitch 'does not affect Wales' | Data glitch 'does not affect Wales' |
| A data glitch that has delayed test results in England has not impacted Wales, an official has said. | A data glitch that has delayed test results in England has not impacted Wales, an official has said. |
| An investigation is under way after nearly 16,000 coronavirus cases went unreported in England, delaying contact tracing efforts. | An investigation is under way after nearly 16,000 coronavirus cases went unreported in England, delaying contact tracing efforts. |
| Giri Shankar, incident director at Public Health Wales, said: "Preliminary findings from a Department of Health and Social Care analysis have indicated that this issue has not affected Wales, either in terms of data reporting, or in terms of contact tracing under Test, Trace, Protect. | Giri Shankar, incident director at Public Health Wales, said: "Preliminary findings from a Department of Health and Social Care analysis have indicated that this issue has not affected Wales, either in terms of data reporting, or in terms of contact tracing under Test, Trace, Protect. |
| We continue to stay in close contact with the DHSC about this," he said. | We continue to stay in close contact with the DHSC about this," he said. |