Australia to reopen international border for people vaccinated against COVID-19 – National
Quarantine-free journey from New Zealand to Australia will resume from Monday, Australia’s tourism minister stated on Sunday, because the nation readies itself for a partial reopening of its worldwide borders for the primary time since March 2020.
Vaccinated Australian residents and everlasting residents residing in New South Wales, Victoria and the capital Canberra might be free to fly internationally from Monday with out the necessity of an exemption or to quarantine upon return.
For now, nonetheless, solely vacationers from neighboring New Zealand might be allowed into Australia, offered they’re vaccinated.
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“The resumption of quarantine free journey from New Zealand to Australia is one other essential marker on our highway to restoration,” Tourism Minister Dan Tehan stated in an announcement.
Australia closed its borders firstly of the pandemic, permitting solely a restricted variety of residents and everlasting residents to return from overseas, topic to a compulsory 14-day quarantine interval in a resort at their very own expense.
Over 80% of individuals 16 and older in New South Wales, Victoria and Canberra are totally vaccinated – a situation for the resumption of worldwide journey – which means that some 14 million Australians might be free to depart and re-enter the nation if they’re totally vaccinated.
However whereas airways and tourism businesses have reported “large demand” for companies, solely 23% of Australians really feel assured about making journey plans within the subsequent 12 months, a survey by shopper advocacy group Selection confirmed final week.
There have been greater than 1,200 new coronavirus circumstances recorded throughout Australia on Sunday, with 1,036 in Victoria and 177 infections in New South Wales. There have been 13 associated deaths.
Whereas the Delta outbreak saved Sydney and Melbourne in lockdowns for months till just lately, Australia’s COVID-19 circumstances stay far decrease than many comparable nations, with simply over 170,500 infections and 1,735 deaths.
Almost 77% of all Australians have been now totally vaccinated, and greater than 88% have acquired their first dose.
— Reporting by Lidia Kelly
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