Double-vaccinated travelers welcome in Australia
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement, “If you’re double-vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back.”
“Today’s announcement will give certainty to our vital tourism industry, and allow them to start planning, hiring and preparing for our reopening,” the government statement continued.
Meanwhile, in 2018-19, tourism in Australia generated more than $60 billion for the economy, with more than 660,000 jobs dependent on the industry. Obviously, the last couple of years have hit the country hard.
Phased border reopening
Australia’s borders have been opening in phases since November 2021, and slightly less than 580,000 people have arrived in the country. This includes fully vaccinated Australians living overseas and eligible visa holders, including international students, skilled migrants and working holidaymakers.
However, the more recent decision to fully reopen Australia’s borders comes at a time when the country has recorded a 23 percent decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
What vaccines does Australia accept?
In order to be considered fully vaccinated travelers must have received two doses (including mixed doses) of an approved vaccine. These vaccines include AstraZeneca, Coronavac, Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer, Sinopharm and Sputnik. Alternatively, they must have received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. Meanwhile, for this to be acceptable, at least seven days must have passed since the final dose. At this stage, a booster jab is not required.
When it comes to children, those over the age of 12 must also provide proof of full vaccination. However, some Australian states and territories have arrangements in place to allow unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children aged 12 to 17, as long as they travel with a fully vaccinated adult.
Those people vaccinated in Australia can present their International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC) prior to boarding their flight. Meanwhile, international travelers can present their country’s own official vaccination certificates, including the EU Digital Green certificate or CDC white card.
COVID-19 testing
Despite having proof of vaccination, anyone over the age of five is required to present a negative PCR test result prior to flying to Australia. The proof of test can either be uploaded online, or shown to airline staff during the check-in process. According to the Australian Embassy, the PCR test must have been taken no more than 72 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the international flight.
Quarantine requirements
While quarantine has been scrapped for fully vaccinated arrivals in Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia, some states or territories do have at-home quarantine measures in place for unvaccinated travelers and children aged 12 to 17 who are not fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Western Australia is currently lagging behind the vaccination targets necessary to reopen its borders. Currently, anyone arriving in the state must quarantine for 14 days, the first seven of which must be spent in a government-designated quarantine hotel.
In order to check the latest requirements, check the State and Territory Information for travelers.
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