Australia borders closed for 18 months to reopen in November Coronavirus pandemic news

The Prime Minister stated that if 80% of people are vaccinated, Australians will be able to return home and travel abroad in “a few weeks”.

Australia is preparing to gradually reopen its borders. The Prime Minister of the country announced that after 18 months of citizens not traveling abroad without permission, thousands of Australians are stranded abroad due to strict entry quotas.

Scott Morrison announced at a press conference on Friday that as the 80% vaccination target is achieved, Australians will be able to return home and travel abroad “within a few weeks.”

“Now is the time to give Australians a new lease of life. We are preparing for this and Australia will soon be ready to take off,” Morrison said.

Officials said that New South Wales (NSW) is most likely to reach 80% of its vaccination targets before other states and may become a “test bed” that allows Australians to leave the country.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham told the local news channel: “As far as the measures taken are concerned, a cautious and phased approach will be adopted.”

Currently, the government has set the border ban on December 17. The new decision may mean that the restriction will be lifted at least one month in advance.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, an estimated 210,679 Australians were approved by the Ministry of the Interior to fly overseas, while 122,131 applications were rejected.

Families are scattered on all continents, nationals are stranded overseas, and foreign residents are trapped in the country unable to see friends or relatives.

Fully vaccinated Australians will be allowed to go home sometime in November without compulsory isolation in hotels at a cost of thousands of Australian dollars.

Instead, they will be able to isolate at home for 7 days after returning to the country.

Australians who have not been vaccinated will still be required to quarantine in hotels or dedicated facilities for 14 days.

The exact time varies from state to state, but as Birmingham said, New South Wales is likely to be the first state to welcome international tourists back.