Title and coming into force

1.—(1) The title of these Regulations is the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Public Health Information to Travellers) (Wales) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2021.

(2) These Regulations come into force at 4.00 a.m. on 7 December 2021.

Amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020

2.  In regulation 6A (requirement to possess notification of a negative test result) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020( 2)—

(a) in paragraph (1), for “11” in each place it appears substitute “12”;

(b) in paragraph (3), for “11” substitute “12”;

(c) omit paragraph (4)(e).

3.  In paragraph 1(c) of Schedule 1A (testing before arrival in Wales) to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020, for “72” substitute “48”.

Amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Public Health Information for Persons Travelling to Wales etc.) Regulations 2020

4.  For Part 1 of the Schedule to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Public Health Information for Persons Travelling to Wales etc.) Regulations 2020( 3) substitute—

Regulations 3, 3A and 4

“SCHEDULE

Part 1

The information to be provided for the purposes of regulations 3(2)(a)(i), 3(2)(b)(i), 3(2)(c)(i), 3A(4)(b)(i) and 3A(4)(c) is—

“Essential information to enter Wales from overseas

Take a PCR or LFD test within 2 days of departure to Wales. You must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result when you depart for Wales from outside the CTA. This includes UK nationals and residents, and people who qualify as fully vaccinated. Read more about COVID-19 testing before you travel to Wales www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england .

Fill in your Passenger Locator Form up to 48 hours before arrival. You must declare all countries you have visited or transited through in the 10 days prior to your arrival on your Passenger Locator Form.

Before departure, check the list of red list countries, as the list can change regularly.

Red list passengers (including passengers who are fully vaccinated)

1. Book a managed quarantine package

2. Complete a Passenger Locator Form

You can only enter if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residency rights in the UK. You must enter through a designated port and quarantine in a government approved hotel for 10 days.

Unvaccinated passengers or passengers vaccinated with unauthorised vaccines who are not red list passengers

1. Book PCR tests for day 2 and day 8

2. Complete a Passenger Locator Form

3. Make plans to self-isolate in private accommodation for 10 full days after arrival (or full duration of stay if less than 10 days)

Fully vaccinated passengers who are not red list passengers

1. Book a PCR test to take on or before day 2

2. Complete a Passenger Locator Form

3. Self-isolate on arrival and until the result of your day 2 test is known. You may only leave self-isolation if the test is negative.

These measures apply to all persons (including UK nationals and residents) arriving in Wales from outside the common travel area comprising the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. The British Overseas Territories are not in the common travel area. Public health requirements may vary depending upon in which nation of the UK you are staying.

England: https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-advice

Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus- covid-19-international-travelquarantine/pages/overview/

Wales: https://gov.wales/travelrules

Failure to comply with these measures is a criminal offence and you could be fined. There are a limited set of exemptions from these measures. Check the list of exemptions carefully. You may be fined if you fraudulently claim an exemption.” ”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020 ( S.I. 2020/574 (W. 132)) (“ the International Travel Regulations”) and the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Public Health Information for Persons Travelling to Wales etc.) Regulations 2020 ( S.I. 2020/595 (W. 136)) (“ the Public Health Information Regulations”).

The International Travel Regulations impose requirements on persons entering Wales after having been abroad. The requirements imposed by the International Travel Regulations are subject to exceptions, and certain categories of person are exempt from having to comply with certain requirements. “Regulation 2A travellers” are a category of person exempt from certain requirements. That category includes vaccinated travellers and travellers aged under 18.

These Regulations amend the International Travel Regulations so as to require pre-departure testing in relation to “regulation 2A travellers” aged 12 or over.

These Regulations also amend the time at which a pre-departure test must be taken to no more than 48 hours before departure.

Regulation 4 of these Regulations amends the Public Health Information Regulations in consequence of the amendments made to the International Travel Regulations.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has not been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.