Coronavirus and International Travel

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:41 pm on 19 October 2021.

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Photo of Natasha Asghar Natasha Asghar Conservative 1:41, 19 October 2021

Thank you, First Minister. First Minister, I've stood here many a time, and I know you don't like answering individual cases, but I have been asked by a number of constituents about a matter that I'd like to raise with you today, here in the Chamber. Now, I've been contacted, like I said, by a family who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining COVID passports for foreign travel. Earlier this year, they were in lockdown in Portugal and, during this time, they were offered and received vaccinations and the appropriate cards recording this fact. They now find that countries they wish to travel to and visit are demanding official COVID passports, and failure to produce this further piece of documentation would require them to test and quarantine for two weeks. They contacted Wales's NHS COVID passport centre and were informed that there is no mechanism, per se, for issuing COVID passports for anyone not vaccinated here in Wales. On searching the Portugese web pages, my constituents found the authorities there are issuing COVID passports to residents free of charge, but they are, sadly, not Portuguese residents. Please could you advise how people here in Wales, in these circumstances, can obtain COVID passports to enable them to travel abroad freely? Thank you.