Mark Drakeford, Wales’ first minster, has said he will ban people travelling from coronavirus hotspot areas from entering Wales if the prime minister does not impose travel restrictions in England.
It is expected the ban on entry would include all of Northern Ireland, England’s tier two and three areas and the Scottish central belt.
The rules, which Mr Drakeford has said are “essentially designed to prevent people going to those holiday parts of Wales… where the virus is still in very low circulation”, are planned to come into force at 6pm on Friday, unless the prime minister intervenes and issues travel restrictions in England.
Seventeen areas of Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea and parts of North Wales, are currently under tighter restrictions.
These prohibit people from entering or leaving an area without a reasonable excuse, which includes work or education.
Under more general lockdown rules in Wales, licensed premises have to stop selling alcohol at 10pm, face coverings are mandatory in indoor public spaces and public transport, and people cannot gather in groups of more than 30 outdoors.
People are also not allowed to meet indoors with people from other households, unless they have formed an extended household.
The country’s health minister Vaughan Gething has also said Wales could be placed under a new national lockdown in order to halt a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.
