Returning travellers will be able to take lateral flow test instead of PCR

All fully-vaccinated travellers arriving in Wales from overseas will be able to take a lateral flow test (LFT) instead of a PCR test, Wales’ Health Minister has confirmed.

The changes, which also apply to the majority of under-18s, will come into force from Sunday, October 31.

It comes after the UK Government confirmed the scrapping of day two PCR Covid tests for returning overseas travellers, which will come into force for overseas travellers arriving in England from October 24.

However, Health Minister Eluned Morgan said Welsh Government was unable to introduce the changes at the same time as England because it had not been given “sufficient or timely information from the UK Government on how these changes will operate in practice”.

Mrs Morgan also expressed concern at the UK Government’s approach and the speed at which it is opening up international travel, as well as its decision to change border health measures.

She said decisions on international travel should be taken on a four-nation basis, meaning the UK Government, Welsh Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive work together to reach an agreement.

Mrs Morgan said: “We have consistently urged the UK Government to take a precautionary approach towards reopening international travel.

“However, it is difficult for us to adopt a different testing regime to that required by the UK Government, as the majority of Welsh travellers enter the UK through ports and airports in England. Having different testing requirements would cause significant practical problems, confusion among the travelling public, logistical issues, enforcement at our borders and disadvantages for Welsh businesses.

“We have reached this decision by balancing the public health needs with those of the travel sector against a backdrop of the increasing opening up of international travel. Having considered the implications in detail, I have reluctantly decided that for practical reasons close alignment with the UK Government’s arrangements is the most viable option.”

The Health Minister added: “We continue to encourage people to only travel for essential reasons.”