Wales Bans Travellers From UK Corona Hotspots

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A man wearing a face mask walks past a shop in London, Britain

First minister Mark Drakeford has announced that Wales is going to ban people from parts of the UK with high rates of Covid-19, the media reported.

According to BBC report, the Mr Drakeford has said that he would go ahead if the Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not impose travel restrictions in England.

The ban is expected to cover all of Northern Ireland, England’s tier two and three areas and the Scottish central belt, it reported.

It is also learnt that Scotland’s Nicola Sturgeon fully supported Mr Drakeford’s move.

Meanwhile, the new three-tier system of Covid-19 restrictions has come into force in England.

Most of the country is in the lowest tier – medium – but millions of people in the North and the Midlands face extra curbs on households mixing, the BBC reported.

Boris Johnson said that a new three-tier system of regional Covid-19 restrictions “is the right way forward”, according to the report.

The PM told the House of Commons the policy “can bring down the virus” but that he did not rule out going further.

The Liverpool region is the only area to be under the toughest rules, with pubs and bars not serving meals closed.

Government health officials are due to meet later to discuss the possibility of Greater Manchester, Lancashire and some other areas joining the top tier.

The Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said it was “disappointing” the government was “piling the pressure” on the region “without negotiating”.

“It risks confusing people coming so soon after the tier two announcement,” he said, adding that “unfunded restrictions are unfair and will cause real damage to lives, jobs and businesses”.

It comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a two to three week “circuit-breaker” lockdown in England to bring the rising infection rate under control.

The new system sees every area of England classed as being on medium, high or very high alert.

Areas on medium alert are subject to the national restrictions currently in force, including the rule of six on indoor and outdoor gatherings and the 22:00 closing time for pubs, bars and restaurants.

In addition to these restrictions, in areas on high alert – including north-east England, much of the North West and parts of the Midlands, along with West and South Yorkshire – different households are not allowed to mix indoors.

Areas on very high alert face extra curbs, with different households banned from mixing indoors or outdoors in hospitality venues or private gardens.

Pubs and bars will be closed unless they are serving substantial meals and there is also guidance against travelling in and out of the area.

Further restrictions may be agreed for particular regions in the top tier and in the Liverpool City Region gyms, leisure centres, betting shops and casinos will also close.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the system was a “moderate” and “balanced” approach to saving lives while trying to protect the economy.

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