THE TIMELINE FOR THE “PATHWAY OUT OF COVID”
Australia has already implemented one of the world’s toughest border policies since the Covid-19 pandemic started. Now, the Delta variant of the virus is pushing the government to further tighten its rules. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has released a timeline for the “pathway out of Covid”.
The Delta variant of the Covid-19 has forced the Federal government to further restrict movements to Australia. The country is for now only open to Australians and permanent residents blocked abroad. From July 14, only 3,000 passengers on international flights will be allowed into the country per week. This limitation in total arrivals should last until next year as the new benchmark to relax travel rules is based on Australia’s vaccination campaign.
The Morrison government has clearly stated that Australia is indeed unlikely to reopen to the world before the middle of next year. A key reason is the slow vaccination rate in the country. The government does not now expect to reach a herd immunity of at least 80% of vaccinated citizens before the middle of next year.
The government is continuing to look at establishing some travel bubbles, however. They will be limited to a handful of countries, such as New Zealand, Fiji or Singapore. Most travellers around the world might only be allowed to dream about Australia for their holiday for another 12 to 18 months.
