To think Wales have done the right thing by ‘closing the border’

[Welshgirlinexile]

I am welsh but live in England. All my family live in wales and at the moment, because of a local lockdown in South Wales, my sister is unable to visit my elderly mother in another county in wales.

And yet until today, people from other places in the UK were allowed to drive into wales (potentially from areas with a high infection rate) and go wherever they want on their holidays.

I have read loads of criticism of this policy but aibu to think why the hell should people from outside wales be allowed to drive all over the country (potentially spreading the virus) when my family aren’t allowed to see each other in Wales?

People have made loads of sacrifices in wales so why should that sacrifice be undermined by people coming from other areas?

I can’t currently visit my mum as I am not allowed now but I could have driven 200 miles from London whereas my sister couldn’t drive 40 miles up the road. Fucking bonkers.

Aibu?

I agree. My parents and the rest of my family are in a lockdown area in Wales and I'm not allowed in to their count to visit them and they are not allowed to leave their county but at the moment people from the worst lockdown areas are allowed to visit here from England. I support Drakeford's actions here and the Welsh police forces seem to be working with him on this.

YANU. I just hope they can enforce it now.
But my understanding of it is you and your sister can go visit your mam if you are acting as a carer or if it was an end of life scenario (which I hope it isn't).

What will happen with border towns do you think? Where I live the nearest supermarkets, gp's and schools of choice might be on the other side for some people.

@footprintsintheslow thankfully it’s not with my Mum. She’s super anxious though. I have school age kids so wouldn’t risk it at the moment - it’s the principle of it though isn’t it.

Wales isn’t just a giant holiday park- people actually live there!!

A £50 fine is hardly a strong deterrent though.

I agree and wish Scotland would do the same.

However I also don't understand why you would want to go away on holiday at the moment. I'm not a covid19 fanatic but surely the less you do the better it will be for the health of the country.

@footprintsintheslow it is more tricky for border towns definitely - can kids still ‘cross’ to go to school?

If there was more efficient testing, this wouldn’t be such an issue.

I know people in Chepstow/Monmouth areas who work in Bristol - really tricky for them but still a sensible decision I feel

@PeriPeriMenosauce no, I agree, but the Police seem to be supporting it. Maybe the fine should have been £1000!!

The border is only being closed for people in high risk areas at the moment though.

@BoobsOnTheMoon maybe it should just be everywhere to keep it simple. London in level 2 now so not sure but wouldn’t go anyway

[quote Welshgirlinexile]@footprintsintheslow it is more tricky for border towns definitely - can kids still ‘cross’ to go to school?

If there was more efficient testing, this wouldn’t be such an issue.

I know people in Chepstow/Monmouth areas who work in Bristol - really tricky for them but still a sensible decision I feel[/quote]
School and work are exceptions I believe but not sure about the niceties of getting a food shop.

Also is it just people from high risk areas banned? As I think Bristol and Gloucester are okish so South East Wales isn't in the same boat as North East Wales who are nearer Liverpool and Manchester.

It's completely unenforceable. My county gained travel restrictions a few weeks ago, despite having a relatively low number of cases in the North. Hospitality businesses have been decimated as a result and there hasn't been any support for them. What use is escaping a virus if mass unemployment causes far more deaths? If the Welsh Government really cared they would have enforced masks wearing at the same time as England did, not waiting for another six weeks.

It's just high risk areas.

Yes it might be tricky to enforce but the FM was left with no other choice really. It's probably more a symbolic gesture than anything else, but it's welcomed.

The people don’t change significantly 3 miles left or right of Offa’s Dyke. Should be one rule or no rule. Hate this and how some people in some areas of Wales are using it to further their nationalistic aims aka: racists.

I actually think it's fair enough tbh. Under Welsh local lockdown rules, you aren't allowed to travel in or out of your area without good reason (there's a list of exceptions). I don't understand why England hasn't put the same rule in place, and I certainly don't see why Welsh areas with low rates should be expected to have coach loads of tourists from high risk areas of England turning up (as has happened, and so far quite within the rules).

you can walk across the Severn Bridge, at what point would you be entering Wales?

I agree with it but as with many of the restrictions, would like a better deterrent. Loss of driving licence or passport, even if after a court case post Covid, would be more effective than any fine.

If you're walking across the Severn Bridge you're probably not coming from one of the high risk areas of England

I’m in a welsh village in a lockdown county and my daughter goes to school over the border in England. We also have an appointment at an English dentist and her Dad lives in England. We are still crossing the border for her to go to school, see her Dad and to get her teeth sorted. I would normally do my supermarket shopping in England too but am now driving further to get to a welsh supermarket in the right county.

Yanbu, hopefully this can be enforced.

My inlaws live in wales and we're in the uk
As far as I'm concerned they can keep the border closed, maybe build a wall....

I am in a high risk area in England soon to be level 3. I must admit I could have cried when I heard that there will be closed borders but can understand why. I have a house in a very rural part of North Wales the nearest hospital is 35 miles away so access to emergency healthcare should one of my neighbours need it is not so close at hand it would be selfish and stupid of me to go but my heart aches.
I did check about travel, you are allowed to travel through border ing high risk areas but not to stop, they don't want you if you are in a high risk area but if you care for somebody or in an emergency you can. I need to get some repairs completed on my house before winter. So I'm hoping things will change.

If it is users of second homes or holidaymakers going to airbnb then I would think a couple of headlines of people being fined might be enough to discourage them. Mid term hols are coming up.

I agree.
I'm in an Italian region which was largely untouched in the spring. Then we opened up and currently had more new cases yesterday alone than we ever had in the spring.

FFS people need to stop over dramatising.

The UK government have massively dropped a bollock here by not having a "no leaving the area unless essential" rule for local lockdown areas of England. I don't even live in Wales myself but I totally see the logic in the Welsh government applying the same rule to high risk areas of England that they are to high risk areas of Wales!