(Reuter): Australia will consider a staggered re-opening of its international borders to permit residents who’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel abroad first, Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated on Thursday.
Australian residents and everlasting residents can’t depart the nation on account of coronavirus restrictions until they have an exemption while returning international travelers have to quarantine in hotels for two weeks at their own expense.
“The first goal I think is to enable Australians who’re vaccinated to be able to move and travel, particularly for important purposes,” Morrison informed a community forum in Perth.
Below such a system, Morrison stated vaccinated individuals could travel abroad for business and personal emergencies, and quarantine at home after returning to the nation.
Any partial border reopening was “still some time away” and would not happen before vulnerable individuals were vaccinated, as returning travelers may bring at least 1,000 new cases per week into a rustic currently seeing almost no community transmission, Morrison individually informed radio station 6PR Perth.
Australia closed its international borders to non-citizens and residents in March last yr, serving to avoid the high coronavirus numbers seen in other developed nations. It has reported just over 29,400 COVID-19 cases and 910 deaths.
A “travel bubble” is set to open on Monday between Australia and New Zealand, one of the first such agreements since the pandemic emerged.
Any further easing of travel restrictions is likely to depend on the pace of Australia’s vaccination rollout, which has missed its initial targets partly due to patchy international supplies and changing medical advice.
Only 1.36 million total doses were administered as of Wednesday, far behind the 4 million pledged by March-end.
Authorities late on Thursday reported demise in a vaccine recipient and launched an investigation to find if there were any links between the demise and inoculation.
