Covid: Wales agrees to end pandemic border rules

People on holidayAFP

Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan has agreed to follow the UK government in scrapping the remaining Covid border measures.

Rules requiring unvaccinated people to take tests, and for travellers to fill in passenger location forms, will end.

But Ms Morgan said Wales was ending the restrictions "reluctantly" and was "extremely disappointed" the UK government was ditching them.

The UK government was asked for comment.

At the moment everyone travelling to the UK must complete a passenger locator form before they arrive.

Travellers who are not fully vaccinated have to take a Covid test before departure, fill in the form, and book and pay for a PCR test after arriving.

The UK government plan is to end the rules at 04:00 GMT on Friday.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps tweeted: "These changes are possible due to our vaccine rollout and mean greater freedom in time for Easter."

Travel restrictions have been legally devolved during the pandemic.

But, with most Welsh international travellers using English airports or ports, Cardiff ministers have followed the UK government's rules for England for some time.

Ms Morgan said there are "significant practical difficulties" in taking a different decision.

"I am extremely disappointed the UK government is planning to remove all the remaining border measures, including removing the passenger location form (PLF) and testing requirements," she said in a written statement.

She said the UK should keep a "operable suite of border health measures, including pre-departure tests, flight bans, home isolation and isolation hotels" so the UK can "respond quickly to any new and emerging threat, such as a new variant of concern".

The UK government is working on plans for any future strains, expected to be revealed before the holidays in April.

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