The news comes as restrictions across several parts of the UK as coronavirus cases rise. Restrictions in Wales are currently different from those in England and the other devolved nations. As it currently stands, in Wales face coverings must be worn in all indoor public places by customers and staff – a rule which was not in force until September 14.
People must not enter or leave an area subjected to such restrictions without a reasonable excuse, which does not include travelling for a holiday.
Health minister for the devolved administration Vaughan Gething told a press conference: “We’re actively considering what we should do and I’ve discussed it this morning with the First Minister.”
He added: “We have quarantine regulations for international travel.
“So for some of the hotspot areas in the north of England, the north east and north west, and the West Midlands, if they were other countries or territories, we would have quarantine regulations for them to return to the UK.
Asked if the Welsh Government was considering imposing quarantine restrictions on people living elsewhere in the UK, Mr Gething said: “From high incidence areas across the UK, yes, we’re actively considering it.”
He added: “We’ll have to consider the matter today.
“We’ll have to take some advice from the scientific and medical advisers, public health advisers here.
“And we’ll then need to consider whether this is the right course of action because the measures we’ve introduced in Wales are about isolating areas with a higher prevalence of coronavirus and protecting lower prevalence areas.
“So that underpins the rationale we’ve taken.
Can Wales close the border?
As a devolved nation, Wales does have its own powers despite also being subject to the rules of the UK Government.
Earlier in the pandemic, the Welsh Government asked people not to travel over the border in to or out of Wales so that COVID-19 could not be spread further.
A hard border between England and any of the devolved nations is highly unlikely.
