Welsh Government confirms that new testing rules for travellers will apply in Wales
All travellers arriving in the UK from February 15th will have to take two coronavirus tests while they quarantine, in an attempt to prevent new strains from entering the country.
The Welsh Government has confirmed that the new testing rules will also apply for Wales.
They said: “We have agreed to a four nation approach, and will be putting in place the same arrangements in Wales as the UK Government is doing for England.
“This will include all people returning to Wales from 15 February being required to book and pay for tests before they travel.
"This will be done through the UK portal, whether a person has been in a red list country or not.
As things stand, there is no quarantine hotel in Wales, therefore all those travelling to Wales will have to isolate in England for 10 days first before making their way to Wales.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “People returning to Wales from red list countries are doing so through other ports in the UK, primarily via England.
"From 15 February, all arrivals in England will be required to isolate in designated hotels.
"This includes anyone planning to travel on to Wales, and they will need to enter a designated hotel for quarantine in England. This will need to be booked before travel.”
The UK's Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that the move was designed to provide a "further level of protection" enabling the authorities to track new cases more effectively.
All those arriving in the UK will have to isolate for 10 days. It is expected they will be told that they must get a test two and eight days into their quarantine period.
It comes after it was confirmed last week that UK nationals returning from 33 "red list" countries would be required to quarantine in closely monitored government-designated hotels, where they would have to take two tests.
A spokesperson from the DHSC said: "Throughout the pandemic, the Government has put in place proportionate measures, informed by the advice of scientists, that have led to some of the toughest border regimes in the world.
"Enhancing our testing regime to cover all arrivals while they isolate will provide a further level of protection and enable us to better track any new cases which might be brought into the country, and give us even more opportunities to detect new variants."
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