By Martin Cole-
Australia is set to ease its Covid-19 travel ban, after 18 months of severe restrictions that have seriously discomforted many of its own citizens
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday that Australia will now re-open its border as it moves away from the strict “zero-Covid” strategy.
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The pandemic policies have kept infection rates far below those of the United States, but have also been very disorientating to families who have had to endure separation with their loved ones, and suffer serious inconveniences.
Tens of thousands of citizens and permanent residents have been stranded abroad due to the strict limits on the number allowed in each week.
The U.S only recently agreed to re-open its boarders to fully vaccinate UK citizens, starting from November. In that sense, Australia has been faster and more efficient in restarting the travel industry.
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“The time has come to give Australians their life back,” Morrison said. “We’re getting ready for that, and Australia will be ready for takeoff very soon.”
The changes will allow Australian citizens and permanent residents to travel abroad once 80 percent of the local adult population is vaccinated. meaning the country’s eight states and territories may reopen on different schedules.
On their return to Australia, vaccinated travelers will be required to complete a seven-day quarantine at home, while those who are not vaccinated must spend 14 days in the quarantine hotel system that has been in place since March 2020.
Australia is still not open to foreign visitors, but the government said it was working toward welcoming them back in due course.
Qantas Airways, Australia’s flag carrier, said after Morrison’s announcement on Friday that it would restart some international flights in mid-November, a month earlier than planned.
The country of 25 million people has reported about 107,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 1,311 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
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