Covid: Most of Wales can travel to Jersey without quarantine from Monday

Most people in Wales would be eligible for a quarantine-free stay on Jersey from Monday

People from most parts of Wales will be able to visit Jersey without having to quarantine after the Channel island took steps to reopen tourism.

It has reintroduced a traffic light system and has classified all of Wales - apart from Newport - as green because of low Covid case rates.

This means people can travel from Monday if they have returned a negative test.

The Welsh government said people should "think carefully" about travel.

After lockdown eased earlier this month, people were allowed to leave Wales to travel to other parts of the UK and the Common Travel Area - this covers the UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

Travel beyond this area is still not allowed without a "reasonable excuse".

Jersey's traffic light system for assessing coronavirus risk is based on case rates for all parts of the UK.

Wales' overall case rate is currently 15 cases per 100,000 people - the lowest in the UK.

Much of England and Scotland are also rated green but there include areas rated amber or red by Jersey's system. Most of Northern Ireland is amber.

Newport, with a case rate of 26.5 per 100,000 will be the only amber part of Wales as Cardiff and Swansea are understood to both be moving from amber to green on Monday as the new rules take effect.

Travel journalist Simon Calder said a trip to Jersey would be an offer that a lot of people - some of whom had not been overseas for more than a year - would find very appealing.

He said it offered the chance to "go abroad without going abroad".

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"So if you want to go overseas this is your only opportunity," he said.

However, he added "the big problem is getting there".

Cardiff Airport no longer has direct flights to Jersey, although Bristol Airport does.

How does Jersey's traffic light system work?

You must provide a negative PCR test taken by a medical professional within 72 hours of travel, if not opting into Jersey's free testing system.

This means you will not need to isolate on arrival but you will be tested again on days five and 10 of your stay.

If you decide to use the island's testing system, you will take a test on arrival and then have to isolate for up to 12 hours until you get a negative result. You will then be tested again on days five and ten.

This is for areas that have a case rate below 50 case per 100,000 people.

From the amber zone you will need to isolate until day five when two negative tests have been returned. This applies to areas with a case rates between 50 and 120 cases per 100,000 people.

From red zones you must isolate for ten days and have received three negative tests. This is for areas with over 120 cases per 100,000.

Passengers will need to complete a form detailing any recent travel and if a positive result comes back from any tests then they must isolate in accordance to public heath advice.

Children under the age of 11 are not required to complete a travel form or PCR testing, but must complete the same isolation period as every person aged 11 and over they travelled with.

What is the Welsh government advice?

Jersey is within the Common Travel Area listed by the Welsh government and therefore there will be no period of isolation needed on return to Wales.

It does however encourage people to plan routes "to avoid travelling in busy periods" and "to think carefully about the journeys they take and the people they meet".

"In particular, it is also sensible to avoid travelling to and from areas with a higher incidence rate if you can," the Welsh government advice states.