Australian children aged five to 11 now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination
From today, children across Australia aged between five and 11 are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as the next phase of the immunisation program kicks into gear.
Children will be able to receive two doses of the the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine eight weeks apart as recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). The dose administered is one-third of the dose given to people aged 12 and older.
Despite concerns about appointment availability, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt assured there will be enough vaccine supply for children.
“We have approximately two million doses that are available over the course of the coming weeks,” Hunt said.
“And then that will be supplemented by an additional million before January 3 for a population of 2.3 million children.”
“We want to encourage all parents to bring their children forward over the period between now and the end of January, to protect them and to help protect the community with the vaccinations.”
According to SA Health, children with pre-existing conditions are at greater risk of severe disease from COVID-19, including children with type 1 diabetes, obesity, a history of prematurity, heart disease, immunocompromising conditions, and complex and chronic illnesses.
As it stands, more than 73 per cent of children between 12 to 15 years old have been fully vaccinated. To date, Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for use for children aged between five to 11.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is also currently evaluating an application from Moderna for its COVID-19 vaccine to be used in Australia for children aged six to 11. The government has already put supply deals in place with the pharmaceutical giant should it be approved by the TGA and recommended by ATAGI.
Asymptomatic ‘critical workers' in QLD, NSW permitted to work if close contacts
UPDATE (11.11AM AEDT, 10 JAN 2022):Prime Minister Scott Morrison has this morning confirmed The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has endorsed changes to close contact rules for asymptomatic workers in critical sectors. The proposal is now before National Cabinet for approval.
The states of Queensland and New South Wales have moved to permit ‘critical workers’ to attend a workplace if they are deemed close contacts, as long as they are fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic.
Both states cite the risk to essential services and the supply chain as an impetus to change the rules which will permit workers to continue to provide services while classified as close contacts.
In NSW, critical workers will only be eligible to leave self-isolation if their employer determines that their absence from the workplace poses a high risk of disruption to the delivery of critical services or activities, and they are unable to work from home.
These workers must wear a mask and comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer, including daily Rapid Antigen Tests.
NSW says the following industries fall under the new rules:
agriculture (biosecurity and food safety personnel undertaking critical duties)
manufacturing (production and manufacturing of food, beverages, groceries, cleaning and sanitary products)
transport, postal and warehousing (food logistics, delivery and grocery fulfilment)
Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the move was restricted to a narrow range of industries to ensure essential services and supplies like groceries, petrol, energy, water, freight and others could continue.
Workers in the state will need to be fully vaccinated, must wear a mask at work, and be asymptomatic.
Those eligible and able to work during the usual close contact quarantine period will also be required to:
travel to and from work in a private vehicle
while travelling and working, wear appropriate PPE
maintain personal hygiene (hand washing etc)
undertake regular symptom surveillance
undertake a RAT on Day 6, consistent with the requirements for all close contacts.
If at any stage they develop symptoms, they need to return to quarantine immediately.
“We know the number of COVID-19 cases will continue to rise over the coming weeks,” the Premier said.
“People need to be able to have their lights on, have food in the fridge and have running water.
“We want to ensure our hospitals are staffed, food continues to be delivered to our supermarkets and we can still fill our cars at the petrol station.”
A ‘critically essential worker’ will be defined as someone employed in one of the following industries, who must be in the workplace to do their job:
health
emergency services, including Police
the resource sector
power/utilities
agriculture and fisheries production
freight and logistics
public transport
teachers
essential retail such as supermarkets and stores in remote locations/communities
major manufacturing, distribution, and critical supply chains (for example food and petrol).
The announcements come after the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) urged the Federal Government to redefine the definition of a ‘close contact’, arguing the current interpretation of the term is too narrow.
The ACTU hopes the term can be redefined to include contact with a COVID positive case that happens in a workplace, ensuring workers who are isolating or awaiting a test result can access pandemic leave payments.
“It is ridiculous to think that Omicron only spreads in the home and that only household contacts should be considered close contacts and eligible for payment. Workers are currently being forced into isolation without pay when exposed at work. This is ridiculous and dangerous,” ACTU acting secretary Liam O’Brien said.
“Australian workers are back in lockdown but this time there is no economic support available. With no money, how can Australian workers be expected to afford the overpriced and inaccessible RATs they require?
“Scott Morrison’s failure to secure free and accessible rapid tests is forcing Australia back into lockdown. Workplace close contacts must be able to access the same economic support as everyone else.”
AHPPC endorses new close contact rules for critical workers
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has this morning confirmed the decision making committee for health emergencies has endorsed a national plan that would enable asymptomatic workers deemed close contacts to continue working in critical industries including food processing, food production and emergency services.
The plan will be presented to National Cabinet today, and Morrison said he expected to receive endorsement from state and territory leaders soon regarding the changes which have already been implemented by NSW and QLD.
As endorsed by the The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), the plan would allow asymptomatic close contacts to go to work in the critical sectors deemed crucial for the national supply chain and the population's health and safety.
Morrison said he is looking to take the new rules into other critical sectors including the transport sector and other distribution tasks, noting the rules do not apply for those in customer facing roles like at supermarket checkouts.
"As the case numbers continue to rise, the volume of cases will of course have an inevitable impact on the workforce, so we're looking to maximise those who can remain in the workforce," Morrison said.
"This is an incredibly tough time on business; there aren't lockdowns but there are many people obviously impacted by being close contacts or people being weary or those indeed who have COVID themselves, and that is having an impact on consumer spending.
"This will be a case for a while yet while Omicron walks its way through and moves to its peak, but that means it is very tough on business. So we're working to ensure that we can alleviate the impact on business."
Updated at 9.48am AEDT on 10 January 2022.
NSW bans singing and dancing from tomorrow, some elective surgeries put on hold
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced new measures for hospitality and entertainment venues in order to combat the spread of COVID-19, while category three surgeries will be put on hold to reduce the strain on the healthcare system.
From tomorrow until 27 January, singing and dancing will be banned in hospitality venues, entertainment facilities and major recreation facilities. The rules will not apply to weddings, dance classes or performers in those settings.
Elective surgeries which are not required within 365 days will also be paused until mid-February.
“An overwhelming majority of major events across News South Wales will proceed,” said the Premier.
“Only in circumstances where NSW Health deems that event to be a high-risk event, then we will contact those organisers and work through the current COVID-safe plans with you."
The new measures are an attempt to slow down the spread of COVID-19, as almost 50 per cent of cases in the past week have come from people aged between 20-39 years old.
“When you're dancing on a dance floor, when you're energised and singing in a group and moving around, then you're actually risking exposing people that you would normally day to day not come into contact with,” Chief Health Minister Dr Kerry Chant said.
“We're really just trying to slow the spread, reduce the introduction to new social networks as a mechanism of slowing the spread”.
In line with National Cabinet’s plan to ease testing requirements, NSW will implement a system to report positive rapid-antigen COVID-19 test results.
“We're working with our partners in Service New South Wales to establish a mechanism so that you can actually register your positive rapid-antigen test (RAT),” said Chant.
“In this current setting of such high case numbers, if you've got symptoms and you've got a positive rapid test – then you’re a case.”
“If you're a household contact or you've had those high-risk exposures, [and] you’re also positive – you’re a case.
“Now if you had no exposures to anyone - it's really unusual that you have got a positive test. Under those circumstances you might get a PCR to validate it.”
Booster shots will also be mandated for frontline healthcare workers and teachers.
“Moving forward, we're not as interested in absolute case numbers," said Chant.
“What we're very interested in is making sure the right people with COVID are getting the care they need - if there's interventions we can do to support better outcomes or to manage the underlying health conditions.”
The state has recorded 38,625 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with 1,738 patients in hospital and 134 in ICU. The death toll has grown to 11.
Updated at 2.10pm AEDT on 6 January 2022.
Hong Kong to ban Australian passengers for two weeks
As case numbers soar in Australia, Hong Kong's authorities have opted to ban passengers who have been here within 21 days prior to arrival, even if they only stepped foot in Australia for two hours.
According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (DFAT) Smartraveller website, the new measure in Hong Kong will take effect from 8 January and the passengers it covers will not be allowed to board a flight to Hong Kong.
"For entry before 8 January, you’ll be subject to 21 days of compulsory quarantine at a designated quarantine hotel on arrival, followed by seven days of self-monitoring," Smartraveller reported in a notice, adding compulsory tests would also be needed.
However, only Hong Kong residents will be able to travel there from Australia prior to 8 January, and even then they won't be allowed to enter if they have been in Australia for more than two hours on that day or during the previous 21 days, according to Smartraveller.
The ban will be in place for two weeks, subject to review.
Hong Kong has also banned flights from seven other countries, including Canada, Britain, the United States, France, India, Philippines and Pakistan.
National Cabinet agrees to ease COVID testing requirements
All states and territories except Western Australia are set to remove testing requirements for interstate travel, following a National Cabinet meeting where ministers also agreed to scrap the need to take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test if you've already had a rapid antigen test (RAT) come back positive.
However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a press conference this afternoon exceptions would still apply in Queensland and Tasmania for the time being.
"Queensland and Tasmania will make an announcement when they finally dispense with that RAT test requirement...that will be done in Queensland's case when they hit 90 per cent double dose vaccination, and Tasmania will be making an announcement on that in the course of the next week or so," the PM said.
"If it's not an essential test, you're not a close contact, you're not symptomatic, you shouldn't be in those lines."
He added there would also be no requirement for a second test post-arrival for those who are returning or arriving from overseas, provided their RAT on arrival is negative, "remembering that 99 per cent of those who are turning up at our airports are double vaccinated".
"We are not seeing large number of cases come through international arrivals. Cases are community transmission - that's where the greatest risks are," he said.
"There will no longer be that requirement for a second test other than in Queensland, where Queensland say they will still insist on that until we get to a position of 90 per cent double vaccination in that state."
The measures are aimed at alleviating the strain on RAT supplies and PCR testing infrastructure.
"We are looking at what is a relatively short term supply constraint, because we now have over 200 million tests between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories which they're on their way to Australia this month and next. The Commonwealth alone has 70 million," he said.
The Federal Government will also use the Biosecurity Act to include RATs in the price gouging provisions, meaning anyone who sells these tests at more than a 20 per cent mark-up could risk a $66,000 fine and up to five years in jail.
After Australia reported 64,715 daily cases today of which more than half were in NSW, these figures could well put the country in an unenviable Top 10 globally once other countries have submitted their data for the day.
Yesterday, Australia was 11th in the world for new daily cases at 47,695, but today's figure is more in line with the numbers reported in India.
"The rest of the country [except WA] now have case numbers that are on the trajectory of rapid escalation, just like we've seen in New South Wales and Victoria, and they're reporting the same limited impacts on their ICUs (intensive care units) and their ventilator requirements in those jurisdictions," the PM said.
Updated at 6pm AEDT on 5 January 2022.
QLD close contact rules change, SA ditches testing for interstate arrivals
COVID-19 rules for those in Queensland and South Australia are set to change, reducing the time needed to isolate for close contacts in the sunshine state, and the removal of testing requirements for those arriving down south.
As announced today by Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles, anyone who is deemed a close contact and is double vaccinated will be required to quarantine for seven days instead of 14 days.
This new rule comes into effect from 22 December, and close contacts must also get tested on day five of their isolation period.
There are no changes to quarantine requirements for close contacts that are unvaccinated; they must still isolate for 14 days and get tested immediately and on days five and 12.
Meanwhile, South Australia will no longer require intestate travellers to get tested for COVID-19 on arrival as long as they’ve tested negative 72 hours prior to travel.
The state’s chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said she was “mindful” of the testing burden being placed on those coming into SA currently.
It comes as SA recorded 154 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, with five people in hospital.
Queensland however recorded 58 new cases of the coronavirus yesterday.
Updated at 1.23pm AEDT on 21 December 2021.
Moderna booster vaccine produces “reassuring” antibody resistance to Omicron
American pharmaceutical giant Moderna (Nasdaq: MRNA) has released new data on the efficacy of a booster shot to produce an immune response against the highly-transmissive Omicron variant of COVID-19, noting the results are “reassuring”.
The company says that the currently authorised 50 microgram booster of its mRNA vaccine increases Omicron neutralising antibody levels approximately 37-fold compared to pre-booster levels.
However, a 100 microgram booster, which is not yet approved, delivers increased neutralising antibody levels approximately 83-fold compared to pre-boost levels.
“The dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant is concerning to all. However, these data showing that the currently authorised Moderna COVID-19 booster can boost neutralising antibody levels 37-fold higher than pre-boost levels are reassuring,” Moderna chief executive officer Stéphane Bancel said.
“To respond to this highly transmissible variant, Moderna will continue to rapidly advance an Omicron-specific booster candidate into clinical testing in case it becomes necessary in the future.
“We will also continue to generate and share data across our booster strategies with public health authorities to help them make evidence-based decisions on the best vaccination strategies against SARS-CoV-2.”
As such, the company is continuing to advance the production of booster candidates to address emerging variants of concern such as Omicron.
Moderna’s strategy includes evaluating the prototype vaccine at the authorised booster dose level of 50 micrograms, and a higher dose of 100 micrograms.
“Moving forward, given the strength of the mRNA-1273 and the speed at which the Omicron variant is spreading, Moderna’s first line of defense against Omicron will be a booster dose of mRNA-1273,” Moderna said.
“Given the long-term threat demonstrated by Omicron’s immune escape, Moderna will also continue to develop an Omicron-specific variant vaccine (mRNA-1273.529) that it expects to advance into clinical trials in early 2022 and will evaluate including Omicron in its multivalent booster program.”
Updated at 12.05pm AEDT on 21 December 2021.
How to have a safe(r) festive season with COVID-19 cases rising in our communities
As COVID-19 cases increase across the country, many people are asking what can I do to help my family and friends have a safe(r) Christmas? Unfortunately, between the Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, both of which are circulating widely in Australia, socialising also comes with significant risk of catching and spreading coronavirus.
OzSAGE offers the following suggestions to reduce spread of COVID-19, based on our Vaccine-PLUS and Ventilation strategy.
The virus predominantly spreads in an airborne fashion – SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via tiny aerosols that accumulate in the air, particularly indoors in poorly-ventilated spaces, just like cigarette smoke does. Aerosols are more concentrated the closer you are to someone’s mouth and nose, which is why even in outdoor environments there is benefit in maintaining some distance, such as standing or sitting a bit further away from each other than we might have done before the pandemic.
The things we can all do to protect ourselves and reduce the risk of getting infected and passing COVID-19 to others include:
Get vaccinated and get as many vaccine doses as you are eligible for, as soon as possible. For most children aged 12 to 17 years, this means being double-vaccinated. For all adults, this means being triple-vaccinated.
Get your booster / third dose as soon as you are eligible. Third dose boosters are now available from five months since your second dose. Pfizer and Moderna are similar vaccines and you should get whichever you can access earliest.
Minimise contact with unvaccinated persons and do not be afraid to ask if people are vaccinated. While it may cause some social friction, spending less time with unvaccinated family members and friends will be safer for you and them, and for infants and children who are not yet eligible for vaccination. Approaching these conversations with kindness may also help encourage your unvaccinated loved ones to reconsider their decision.
Always wear a well-fitting mask when inside or in a crowded location outside – masks are effective in reducing the risk of you getting COVID-19 or passing it on to others if you are infected.
Minimise the risk of COVID-19 in the lead-up to large events on Christmas and New Year’s. For example, avoid large gatherings, shop online and have gifts and groceries delivered. If you don’t have time or don’t want to pay for postage, “click and collect” and spend the least amount of time possible collecting the items, always wearing a well-fitted face mask in public indoor spaces. Avoid spending time in busy indoor environments like pubs, where lots of people are unmasked and likely to be emitting virus-laden aerosols into the shared air. Consider skipping some functions entirely, particularly if you are planning to spend time over the holidays with anyone at higher risk (older folks, people who have medical conditions or a compromised immune system, etc.).
When hosting events such as Christmas lunch, conduct them outdoors as much as possible. Keep people a little bit further apart that you would have pre-pandemic, to reduce the potential for short-range aerosol transmission. Open as many doors and windows in your house or apartment as you can, to have safe, clean indoor air. Flush out the virus. Consider asking Santa for a portable HEPA filter and run it continually indoors (see this guide by OzSAGE member A/Prof Robyn Schofield) and read our ventilation advice).
If you have the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms or are a close contact, visit a testing site because a PCR test will give the most accurate result. If you don’t have any symptoms, use a rapid antigen test (RAT) which can be bought from the supermarket or pharmacy. The afternoon or morning prior to social events (for example, Christmas Day), use a RAT and ask your party guests to get tested. If you can afford a pack of tests, you can test people at the door and get the results in 15 minutes while they wait outdoors in the fresh air.
If you are an essential worker, make plans for childcare for if you get called to work (short staffing is more likely to happen as the number of cases increase).
Have a plan for if someone in your household gets COVID-19. Consider how to arrange things for others dependent on you: adults, children and animals, in case you suddenly become a contact and need to isolate or are unwell.
Are you visiting someone who is elderly or immunosuppressed? It is important that you know that even if this person is vaccinated (such as your grandparents, a friend with a kidney transplant, a neighbour having cancer treatment) they are still at risk of catching COVID-19 and can get very sick.
Things you can do that might help:
In the week before visiting them, don’t go to events or locations where there is a higher chance of someone having COVID-19.
Take a rapid antigen test before visiting them.
Even better, take a rapid antigen test each day in the three days before visiting them.
None of these recommendations are perfect, but the more of them you implement, the lower the chance of catching or passing on the virus.
If we all do our best, we may be able to reduce risk and reduce the harm of COVID-19 on ourselves, our families, our friends and our communities.
We can also reduce the risk of super-spreading events (like the Argyle nightclub in Newcastle) and help start 2022 with much less COVID-19 than we might otherwise have.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays from OzSAGE.
Updated at 9.10am AEDT on 20 December 2021.
Moderna to make mRNA vaccines in Victoria
Victoria will become the first place in the southern hemisphere to manufacture Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines after the state government penned an in-principle agreement with the Commonwealth Government and pharmaceutical giant Moderna.
The deal, announced today by Victorian Acting Premier James Merlino and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, will see Moderna base its new manufacturing and finishing facilities in VIC.
The deal is a boon for the nation’s vaccine security, ensuring manufacturing can be contracted locally to avoid global supply chain issues and to create a more robust defence against future pandemics.
The manufacturing facility will be capable of producing up to 25 million vaccine doses per year from 2024, with the capacity to scale up to 100 million doses per year to combat future pandemics.
It is expected to create up to 500 jobs during construction and around 500 ongoing roles – driving the development of a local mRNA ecosystem that does not currently exist in Australia.
The first mRNA-based vaccines were rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic, and teach human cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response in our bodies.
As well as mRNA COVID vaccines, the new facility will be able to produce other therapeutics which can be used in the treatment of cancer, rare diseases, cellular engineering and protein-replacement therapy.
“This is a huge announcement not just for Victoria, but the whole country – being able to manufacture mRNA vaccines and treatments locally will lock in vaccine security both on our shores and across our region,” VIC Acting Premier James Merlino said.
Updated at 11.11am AEDT on 14 December 2021.
Western Australia reimposes home quarantine for Queensland arrivals
Travellers form Queensland into Western Australia will now need to quarantine for two weeks at home as ‘low risk’ border restrictions are reimposed on the Sunshine State.
It comes as QLD opens its borders to travellers from the entire country today, provided they are fully vaccinated and have had a negative COVID-19 result in the 72 hours prior to travel.
Based on the latest health advice, WA has transitioned QLD from a ‘very low risk’ jurisdiction to a ‘low risk’ jurisdiction, which permits travel subject to the following strict conditions:
provide proof of being double dose vaccinated against COVID-19 (if eligible)
present for a COVID-19 test on arrival (within 48 hours) and on day 12
self-quarantine for 14 days in a suitable premises
complete a G2G Pass declaration prior to arrival, stipulating they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms and which jurisdictions they have been in the previous 14 days
land arrivals to be met at the border checkpoint for a health screening and to have their G2G Pass checked before proceeding to their self-quarantine.
“Anyone who arrived in WA between Wednesday 1 December and 12:01am, Monday 13 December, and has been at the listed Queensland exposure sites at the specified times between Wednesday 1 December and 12:01am, Monday 13 December, is required to self-quarantine for 14 days and be tested immediately (within 48 hours) and at day 12,” the Western Australian government said.
“Recent arrivals into WA from Queensland who have not been to any exposure sites are advised to get tested if they develop any symptoms that may be related to COVID-19.”
The move from WA comes after QLD eased its border restrictions overnight, following the state achieving 80 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated.
As of 1am this morning, the state reopened to travellers from hotspots in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.
Travel into the state is conditional on being fully vaccinated, receipt of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within the 72 hours prior to arrival into QLD, and agreeing to get another COVID test on day five following arrival.
For those who have not been in a hotspot in the last 14 days, there are no restrictions on entry into QLD.
Updated at 10.03am AEDT on 13 December 2021.
Booster shots now available sooner for fully vaccinated, Moderna gets ATAGI approval
The emergence of new COVID-19 variant Omicron has seen advice from the nation’s vaccine advisory group on the timing of booster shots change as it hands down a recommendation that Moderna’s jab can be used as a third immunisation.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) now recommends COVID-19 booster vaccination for anyone aged 18 and older who completed their primary course five or more months ago.
This change is down from a previous recommendation of six months after the second shot, and comes in light of the new variant of COVID-19 called Omicron.
“Evidence is still incomplete on the transmissibility, capacity to cause severe disease and overall impact of the Omicron variant. While data suggest that past infection with an earlier variant does not provide significant protection against infection, it remains unclear whether prior infection may reduce severity,” ATAGI said.
“Early data suggest that the protection provided by COVID-19 vaccination against infections with the Omicron variant is impaired compared to those with the Delta variant, but further data are required on the effectiveness against severe disease.
“Preliminary data suggest that the increased antibody levels generated following a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose may offer improved protection against the Omicron variant. However, the correlation between antibody levels in laboratory studies and protection against infection and severe disease is not yet established.”
With Moderna now recommended by ATAGI as a booster shot and provisional approval for the jab given by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) last week, Australians can choose between receiving a Pfizer (Comiranty) Moderna’s Spikevax shot as a booster.
ATAGI considers the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to be “equally acceptable” as booster shots for those aged 18 and older, including pregnant women.
“Both mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are preferred over the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for the booster dose, including for people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine for their primary course,” ATAGI said.
“The AstraZeneca vaccine is not yet TGA approved as a booster but can be used as a booster for people who have contraindications to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines or who had AstraZeneca for their primary course.”
The body also said the weight of evidence suggests that booster shots increase antibody levels substantially, likely offering protection against both Delta and the new Omicron variant.
“The anticipated benefits of bringing forward the booster dose include earlier protection, particularly against severe disease in those at risk, and improved protection against COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant,” ATAGI said.
“Vaccine manufacturers have also signalled they are examining the need for and potential development of COVID-19 vaccines that may be more effective against new variants, however this is expected to take several months.”
Updated at 9am AEDT on 13 December 2021.
Moderna booster shot receives provisional approval from TGA
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has today provisionally approved the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine called SPIKEVAX for individuals 18 years and older in Australia.
The decision means those eligible may receive Moderna’s shot as a booster (third dose) at least six months after their second jab as long as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) also gives it the green light.
According to the TGA, the first two vaccines received can be any of the other COVID-19 vaccines registered for use in Australia, noting the data on the use of SPIKEVAX as a booster with other brands like Pfizer or AstraZeneca is more limited.
The TGA also advises that severely immunocompromised people aged 12 years and over can received their third primary dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after the second dose.
“TGA provisionally approved the booster dose following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy,” says the TGA.
“The TGA's decision was also informed by expert advice from the Advisory Committee on Vaccines, an independent committee with scientific, clinical and consumer representation.”
Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt noted the significance of the announcement, acknowledging ATAGI is yet to make its decision.
“In addition to the Pfizer booster, subject to final approval - a second green-light by ATAGI…Australians will have two options for boosters very shortly,” Hunt said.
“I think this is another important step. Every day we’re making new strides and new progress with the vaccine program.”
Pfizer provisionally approved for kids
Today's announcement from the TGA comes three days after the Administration provisionally approved the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine called COMIRANTY in children aged 5 years and older.
Like other age groups, the TGA says the use of this vaccine in children aged 5-11 years should be given in two doses at least three weeks apart. However, a lower dose (10 micrograms) will be given to children aged 5-11 years, compared to that used for individuals 12 years of age and older (30 micrograms).
The provisional approval was made following consideration of data from clinical trials conducted in the United States, Finland, Poland and Spain, which demonstrated effectiveness by showing that the immune response to the vaccine in children was similar to that seen in older people.
Clinical trials also showed that the safety profile in children is similar to that seen in adults with the observed side effects being mild. The most frequent adverse events seen in clinical trials in children aged 5-11 years were injection site pain, fatigue, headache, injection site redness and swelling, muscle pain and chills.
Further advice on the rollout of COMIRNATY to this age group will be provided to Government by ATAGI.
Updated at 3.48pm AEDT on 8 December 2021.
QLD Premier confirms borders to reopen four days early
With Queensland health authorities expecting the 80 per cent double-shot vaccination target to be reached this week, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced an earlier border reopening for next Monday.
"I'm very conscious that we want to give people certainty - we want to give families certainty and business certainty, but also too, it's a big administrative function now that government has to do, police need time to set up, and we just want to make sure everything is in order," the Premier said this afternoon.
"To provide everyone with that certainty I can advise that we will be bringing forward the opening date of our borders from December 17 to 1am, Monday, December 13."
This includes a reopening to the hotspots of NSW, VIC and ACT.
"Fully vaccinated travellers from interstate hotspots can arrive by road or air," she said, although there are expectations for delays at the border.
"You must have a negative COVID test in the previous 72 hours, so please, you've got this date now so you can go and start organising that test, and no quarantine is required if you are fully vaccinated.
"If you are not fully vaccinated you must arrive by air only, and hotel quarantine for 14 days."
The Queensland Government has also changed its definition of what constitutes 'fully vaccinated', from the previous limit of at least two weeks since the second shot, to one week as per the national guidelines.
All arrivals from domestic hotspots must also get a second COVID test on day five when they get to Queensland.
The Premier acknowledged how tough the restrictions have been on border communities, whose residents she said would be able to move across the border freely as of next Monday provided they have a border pass which needs to be renewed every 14 days.
Updated at 3:19pm AEDT on 6 December 2021.
Will Australia follow Europe into a fourth COVID wave?
Europe is facing a fourth wave of COVID. As we watch on, it is reasonable to ask whether Australia will be confronted with the same fate.
Several factors will determine this: vaccination rates, high uptake of third dose boosters, vaccination of children and whether a comprehensive strategy of ventilation with vaccine-plus measures including masks, testing and tracing are used.
New OzSAGE modelling for NSW shows possible increasing cases from mid-December with a predicted peak in February 2022, despite high vaccination rates. OzSAGE warns if contact tracing is not maintained and children 5–11 remain unvaccinated, hospitals may be overwhelmed again. But if we vaccinate young kids and maintain high testing and tracing, the outlook is good.
If not for Delta …
If the ancestral strains of the virus that dominated infections in 2020 were still in pole position, we would now have COVID well controlled in countries that achieved higher than 70% of the whole population vaccinated.
Unfortunately, just as the vaccines became available, new variants of concern began emerging. The currently dominant Delta variant raises the stakes because it is far more contagious and has some potential to escape the protection offered by vaccines. This means we need very high rates of vaccination across whole populations – probably over 90% of everyone vaccinated including younger children – to control the virus.
In addition, we need to start thinking about “fully vaccinated” being triple, not double, vaccinated.
Patchy third dose booster policies in Europe may partially be to blame for the COVID surges we are seeing in countries there now.
Germany, for example, in October recommended boosters for people 70 years and over and certain risk groups. On November 18, it belatedly changed the recommendation to people aged 18 years and over in response to the large resurgence of COVID.
France, too, has been slow and restrictive in making boosters available for adults, with people over 50 eligible from this December. Likewise, Ireland only approved boosters for people 60 years and over at the end of October.
The evidence is clear that boosters are needed. So, on the background of inadequate vaccination rates ranging from 64% in Austria to 76% in Denmark, a slow and restrictive approach to boosters, together with abandoning other measures such as masks, has left many European countries vulnerable.
Austria, with one of the lowest vaccination rates, has one of the highest rates of COVID, prompting it to be the first European country to mandate vaccines.
Much of the fourth wave is also being driven by transmission in children. The EU has been slow to approve vaccines for younger children, prompting Austria to commence vaccinating children without EU approval.
The fourth wave follows the relaxation of COVID restrictions like masks, density limits, testing and tracing; and failure to address safe indoor air.
The Delta virus is a tenacious beast, and the vaccine alone is not enough to tame it. Country after country has shown this, including Denmark, which ceased all restrictions, including masks in September and is now facing a large surge in cases despite relatively high vaccination rates.
The prospect of a fourth wave also depends on the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. There is a high probability new variants will emerge that will challenge us further, either because they are even more contagious or more vaccine-resistant.
That said, we have seen spectacular advances in science, with vaccines produced in less than a year. There are many more second generation vaccines and matched boosters in the pipeline, and promising new antivirals for early treatment. So our ability to fight this virus will keep improving.
What about Australia then?
So will Australia also face a fourth wave? Yes, it’s likely because SARS-CoV-2 is an epidemic infection. It will continue to cause the waxing and waning cycles of true epidemic infections just like smallpox did for thousands of years, and like measles still does. However, it’s possible we can achieve elimination of COVID just as we have with measles, and only see small outbreaks.
Author provided
If we’re successful, outbreaks may still occur – but they will not become sustained or uncontrollable. Here’s what Australia can learn from Europe and other countries:
firstly, we need to aim for at least 90% of the whole population vaccinated – this should be done equitably for all states and territories, for remote and regional areas and for all subgroups including children
we need to be agile and responsive to evidence, including the need for subsequent boosters. If a new vaccine or Delta-matched booster comes along that improves protection, we need to add that to the tool box rapidly
vaccines alone are not enough, so let’s not be like Denmark and embark on magical thinking. We need to address safe indoor air and have a vaccine-plus strategy. That means masks in indoor settings, maintaining high testing and tracing levels, protecting younger kids until they are eligible for vaccination and ensuring high uptake of boosters.
But that requires a layered, comprehensive strategy of ventilation, vaccine-plus measures and the ability to move quickly with evidence as it becomes available.
New vaccines and new ways of employing them are hopefully on their way. Until they eventuate, we’ll need to be ambitious in our COVID strategy and keep using ventilation, masks and other measures to avoid a severe fourth wave.
C Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW
International students, skilled workers welcome next month, travel bubble extends to Japan and Korea
Fully vaccinated students, skilled workers, working holiday makers, overseas family members and refugees will be allowed to enter Australia without needing to receive a travel exemption from 1 December as part of the Federal Government’s reopening plan, provided they have the appropriate visas.
In addition, fully vaccinated citizens from Japan and South Korea will be permitted to travel from their home country quarantine-free to some states and territories without needing to seek a travel exemption from the beginning of December too.
As announced today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can come to Australia from 1 December without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Eligible visa holders include skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holiday maker and provisional family visa holders.
Under these arrangements, travellers must:
Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within three days of departure.
Travellers to Australia must comply with the quarantine requirements in the state or territory of their arrival, and any other state or territory to which they plan to travel.
So far, this includes New South Wales for fully vaccinated people and Victoria which today announced students can arrive in Melbourne without having to quarantine provided they have received two doses of a TGA-approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Under the new arrangements, the Prime Minister also confirmed fully vaccinated citizens of Japan and South Korea who hold a valid Australian visas will be able to travel from their home country quarantine-free to participating states and territories, without needing to seek a travel exemption.
Under these arrangements, travellers must:
Depart from their home country
Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by the TGA Hold a valid Australian visa
Provide proof of their vaccination status
Present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within three days of departure.
Today’s announcement follows earlier changes which have seen Australia welcome home fully vaccinated citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members since 1 November, and follows the commencement of the Singapore safe travel zone yesterday.
"The return of skilled workers and students to Australia is a major milestone in our pathway back,” PM Morrison said.
“It’s a major milestone about what Australians have been able to achieve. It will mean a lot for the economies of country, right around the country, who need these workers and want to see those students return.”
Updated at 12.13pm AEDT on 22 November 2021.
Victoria to lift venue and visitor caps tonight with 90 per cent full vaccination milestone in sight
“Whether it’s 100,000 people at the MCG on Boxing Day, or a smaller group of people standing up at the public bar at the local pub having a beer, this is the COVID normal that every Victorian has built,” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.
After enduring lockdown after lockdown and some of the tightest COVID-19 restrictions in the country, Victorians will return to a greater sense of normality from tonight as the state government eases most of the remaining pandemic rules.
With the Victorian population inching closer to being 90 per cent fully vaccinated - a milestone expected to be reached this weekend - visitor and venue capacity limits will be removed from 11.59pm tonight.
This means capacity limits in clubs, bars, cafes, restaurants and every other public place will no longer be governed by COVID-19 - rather they will revert back to regular liquor licensing laws.
All indoor and outdoor events with less than 30,000 fully vaccinated attendees will be able to proceed with no special approval and outdoor events with 30,000 or more will only need to publish their COVIDSafe Plan.
Indoor venues – including stadiums that have a capacity of 30,000 or more – will need to get a one-off approval of their COVIDSafe Plan from the Victorian Government.
Further, there will no longer be any caps on the amount of people permitted to gather at homes, which is encouraging news for large families as the Christmas period approaches and the weather gets warmer.
In addition, dance floors will reopen to revellers and Victorians will be able to enjoy a drink while standing - simple pleasures that residents have missed out on for large parts of 2020 and 2021.
Masks will also be able to come off in most settings except for retail. However, the Premier said his government was looking to remove mask requirements for shoppers in the middle of December.
However, they will still be required for primary school staff and visitors and for students in Years 3 to 6, for workers serving the public at hospitality venues, for workers and customers at indoor retail, for visitors and select workers in hospitals or care facilities, and for people using public transport, taxi/rideshare and planes.
Non-essential retail settings across Victoria will join the vaccinated economy and will only be open to those who are fully vaccinated, under 12 years and two months, or have a valid exemption.
Quarantine and isolation requirements are also going to change at midnight, meaning close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases will no longer have to self-quarantine.
Instead, only confirmed cases will need to isolate, and those that come into contact with infected people just need to get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
The Department of Health will continue to manage emerging outbreaks of concern and ‘superspreader events’ and can impose a quarantine period on contacts on a case-by-case basis, depending on evidence.
The changes also effectively mean the end of mandatory deep cleaning. Businesses will self-manage their exposure in line with public health guidance.
“This is quite an amazing achievement on behalf of every single Victorian. Our state should be proud,” Andrews said.
“It really will be a Christmas like no other - but a normal Christmas. It’s one that we’ve all earned. It’s one that every Victorian will enjoy.
“These two years have been so, so challenging and Victorians have given so much. I’m proud of them. I’m grateful to them.”
Updated at 10.55am AEDT on 18 November 2021.
SA to reopen borders on 23 November, unveils new rules for the fully vaccinated
Premier Steven Marshall has announced today that fully vaccinated South Australians will only need to undertake a quarantine period of seven days if they are identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case, under new rules when state borders reopen on 23 November.
However, the Premier noted those who are unvaccinated still will be required to complete the full 14 days of quarantine if they are found to be a close contact in an exposure site.
From next Tuesday, SA will welcome fully vaccinated travellers from New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT. Travellers from Queensland, WA and Tasmania are already permitted to travel into the state.
The Premier expects that 80 per cent of South Australians aged 16 and over will be fully vaccinated by 23 November.
“We've always said we wanted to give certainty and clarity. So, we will be lifting those borders on [23 November]. I expect that we will be at that 80 per cent,” he said.
“We're trying to have a more bespoke, tailored approach away from the approach that we had previously which was very heavy handed where everybody who was a close or casual contact needed to go into quarantine.”
In the next phase, businesses will no longer need to close down for deep cleaning following exposure in their site, as the type of cleaning required will be reduced to what the Premier describes as “a significantly lower level.”
The Communicable Diseases Control branch will be tasked with risk assessment on outbreaks and provide advice to individuals and businesses about the people who will need to go into isolation.
As part of SA's COVID-ready plan, the state has made 392 extra beds and treatment spaces available and have recruited up to 1,920 doctors, nurses, ambulance officers and health staff.
No changes to public health and social measures will be made in SA until 90 per cent of South Australians aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated.
The second-dose vaccination rate in SA currently stands at 73.9 per cent.
“Achieving high vaccination rates is a key part of our strong plan to be COVID-ready and South Australia’s pandemic control going forward,” said the Premier
Not only will it reduce time in quarantine, it is the best way for people to protect themselves, their loved ones and the community from this nasty disease.”
Updated at 05.03pm AEDT on 15 November 2021.
Midweek dining boosted in Melbourne with $5m vouchers, VIC turns up volume for live music support
The Melbourne Money dining scheme has returned to the city’s cafes, bars and restaurants, with $5 million allocated to encourage visitors to keep the city buzzing beyond the weekend.
Diners in the city will now be able to claim 30 per cent off their bill when they spend between $50 and $500 from Monday through Thursday.
The first round of the initiative in May saw $40 million poured into hospitality businesses, with foot traffic bouncing back three times faster than previous lockdowns.
“The first round of Melbourne Money was such a huge success that we had to come back for seconds,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp said.
“When the city last enjoyed a long stretch of freedom, weekday pedestrian activity still lagged at some 60 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels, while activity on weekends was as high as 85 per cent.”
To claim the rebate, diners must pay for the meal in full and take a photo of an itemised receipt with the business name and ABN on it.
The photo can be uploaded on the Melbourne Money website and users will be prompted to provide contact and bank details.
Once approved, the rebate is accredited to the nominated Australian bank account within five business days.
“Please take advantage of the rebate and support the great options in the City of Melbourne by coming in for a midweek meal,” said Grossi Restaurants co-owner Liz Rodriguez.
The scheme is being offered through the $200 million Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund – a joint partnership with the Victorian Government.
It is available across the entire municipality including Southbank, Chinatown, Lygon Street, Docklands, North Melbourne and Kensington and at hospitality venues within sporting, arts and theatre precincts.
It will continue until the $5 million funding is exhausted.
Victoria’s live music industry to receive $20 million shot in the arm
Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson has announced a $20 million Live Music Restart package that will support the return of live music to the state.
Music venues will receive $8 million to recruit and train new staff, invest in COVIDSafe infrastructure and get more musicians and industry professionals back in the sector.
Meanwhile, music events and festivals will also get an $8 million boost to help them recover from the uncertainty and impact of rescheduled and cancelled events.
The final $4 million will be used to bring music performances to the heart of the city, complementing the $5 million already in place for regional and outer-suburban events.
The 12-month scheme, subsidised by the Government and delivered through the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) will ensure up to $230 million of events against cancellation due to public health measures, or where events have reduced capacity due to restrictions.
Funding will be made available through Creative Victoria, with application details to be announced soon.
Updated at 10.36am AEDT on 15 November 2021.
2 million Ellume COVID-19 home tests recalled in the US
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified a voluntary recall of 2 million COVID-19 home tests manufactured by Brisbane-based Ellume that were delivering ‘false positive’ results as a ‘Class 1 recall’ - the most serious type of recall it can issue.
“The FDA is continuing to work with Ellume to assess the company’s corrective actions, such as additional manufacturing checks and other corrective steps, to address the reason for the manufacturing issue, and to help ensure that it is resolved and will not recur,” the FDA said.
The recall comes after the FDA issued an alert earlier this week, notifying test users, caregivers and health care personnel about the potential for false positive results with certain lots of the Ellume-manufactured test, resulting from a manufacturing issue.
The manufacturing problem meant some people were receiving false positive results - indicating that a person has COVID-19 when they do not actually have it. Negative results were not affected by the manufacturing issue.
In a statement on the Ellume website, the company says it has isolated the cause and confirmed this incidence of false positives is limited to specific lots.
“We worked with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to voluntarily remove affected Ellume tests from the market. Importantly, the reliability of negative results is unaffected by this issue and are not included within this recall,” Ellume said.
“At Ellume, we remain committed to developing high-quality digital diagnostics that empower our users to manage their health. Patient well-being and product quality are our first priorities throughout every step of the manufacturing and supply chain process. We understand you are counting on us to do nothing less.
“We offer our sincere apologies for the stress or difficulties people may have experienced due to a false positive result. We have and will continue to work diligently to ensure test accuracy, in all cases.”
Test users have been told to compare the lot number on the test carton to the lot numbers on Ellume’s website.
Ellume CEO Dr Sean Parsons has also issued a statement and an apology, noting that the recall may have “shaken the confidence of some of those who trusted Ellume to help them manage their health and to take back a bit of control of their lives during this pandemic”.
“To those individuals, I offer my sincere apologies – and the apologies of our entire company – for any stress or difficulties they may have experienced because of a false positive result,” Dr Parsons said.
“You have my personal commitment that we have learned from this experience, we have implemented additional controls to ensure our product meets our high quality standards and we are going to do everything in our power to regain your trust.”
Updated at 9.20am AEDT on 11 November 2021.
Queensland vaccine mandates extended, home quarantine rules to relax
Unvaccinated Queenslanders will not be able to work in private healthcare positions across the state, while home quarantine is also set to become more accessible after the Palaszczuk Government announced new changes to COVID-19 restrictions today.
COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory by 15 December for all private healthcare staff across the state, including those working in hospitals, aged care and disability services.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath today announced the Workers in a Healthcare Setting (COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements) Direction to ensure more protection for vulnerable Queenslanders.
“Under this Direction, everyone working in healthcare must be vaccinated by 15 December, including private health workers,” Minister D’Ath said.
“We’ve already mandated the jab for Queensland Health staff and now we’re applying the same set of rules for private sector healthcare workers
“It’s critical that all health workers, including students and volunteers, are protected. They face a high infection risk, especially clinicians on the frontline.”
The Direction extends to health professionals, contractors, independent third party providers, and employees or volunteers engaged by external agencies.
It applies to a vast range of healthcare settings including private hospitals, day surgeries, GP clinics, pharmacies, optometrists, private nurse offices, allied health clinics, dental surgeries, and private pathology centres.
The Direction also applies to in-home aged care, many disability support services, and not-for-profit and NGOs providing public healthcare services.
In good news for those looking to return to Queensland, the state will soon reduce the number of hurdles for those wishing to home quarantine.
Minister D’Ath said the success of a recent home quarantine trial had prompted the decision to allow more people to enter this way, with new rules coming into effect once the 70 per cent double-dose vaccination mark is reached.
“We evaluated the trial and it was very successful and safe,” D’Ath said.
“More than 1,000 people in eight local government areas in south-east Queensland took part in the trial and their feedback has been very positive.
“This trial has helped shape a new approach to home quarantine that will make the process more comfortable and accessible for all returning Queenslanders, not just those in the south-east. This policy will apply to eligible domestic travellers also.”
As of this morning 67.84 per cent of eligible Queenslanders had received two doses, meaning the changes are likely just days away from coming into effect.
“You will be able to quarantine at any self-contained dwelling, as long as it has no shared common areas that are accessible by people outside the household,” D’Ath said.
“This may include a standalone house or a unit, townhouse or duplex that has its own entrance.
“You will be able to arrive at any Queensland airport, but you can only transit to another destination if you transit through Brisbane. You can then drive to your home quarantine residents, as long as its within two hours without stopping. You can travel by either private car, a hire car with contactless pick-up, or an endorsed transport provider.”
People wanting to home quarantine must still:
be fully vaccinated (they must have had two doses of the vaccine, with at least two weeks between their second shot and their entry into Queensland)
have returned a negative COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours prior to entry
ensure anyone else residing in the household also quarantines
use the home quarantine check-in service
maintain contact records for anyone attending the property and
get a PCR test at a drive-through clinic, using a private vehicle, on days 1, 5 and 12.
The changes come after QLD today reported three new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, of which one tested positive in hotel quarantine.
The other two were infectious in the community and include a man on the Gold Coast and a person in Warwick.
Updated at 3:16pm AEST on 10 November 2021.
QLD Health outlines vaccination check requirements for businesses
While Queenslanders will soon be able to live mask-free in most places, the state's health authorities have today released a list of new requirements for non-essential businesses around vaccination requirements and verification for entry.
"From 17 December when Queensland is forecast to reach the 80 per cent double vaccinated milestone, hospitality and entertainment venues including festivals will only be permitted to allow entry to patrons and staff who are fully vaccinated," Queensland Health stated in an update this afternoon.
"This affects non-essential leisure businesses including hospitality venues (hotels, pubs, clubs, taverns, bars, restaurants and cafes) and entertainment venues (nightclubs, live music venues, stadiums, theatres, cinemas and festivals) that will no longer need to operate under COVID-19 density limits."
From 17 December these businesses will be asked to:
display the vaccination rules at the business premises
ask for evidence of vaccination from customers at the time of check-in
if a customer cannot or refuses to provide evidence, ask the person to leave the premises
if the person refuses to the leave the premises, call the police.
Unvaccinated people will still be free to access essential businesses, including grocery stores.
Weddings and private hire venues will be capped at 20 people or one person per 4 square metres if any unvaccinated people are among the guests (including the wedding party), staff or officials.
From 19 November people will be able to link their vaccination certificate into the Check In Qld app. Customers and staff will continue to use the app to assist with prompt contact tracing.
.@QldPolice will enforce new requirements at venues and businesses once the changes announced today come into effect.
The fully vaccinated will be rewarded to keep our freedoms from 17 December or when Queensland reaches 80% of eligible Queenslanders double dosed. pic.twitter.com/zjA5WA7BHE
QLD on the verge of lifting mask mandate, Darwin lockout to end at midnight
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced today that face masks can be put away once 80 per cent of the state has received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine and that more freedoms will be available when people are fully vaccinated.
Exceptions would remain in airports and planes, where a federal mask mandate is in place.
With 79.6 per cent of the state's population having received one jab as of yesterday afternoon, the Premier said it would be safe for schools, cafes, pubs, clubs, hairdressers and workplaces to go mask-free soon.
"This is another small step back towards life as normal,” the Premier said.
“Queenslanders have done an incredible job all through the pandemic and this is their reward.
“The more of us who are vaccinated, the faster we return to life the way it used to be.”
Masks are strongly recommended on public transport and other areas where social distancing cannot occur across Queensland.
“We have no community cases and therefore no need to wear masks in most settings,” said Health Minister Yvette D’Ath.
“But we shouldn’t throw them away.”
“Masks have been an excellent defence against the spread of COVID and it’s more than likely we will need them again.”
Vaccinated Queenslanders to be rewarded before Christmas
Vaccinated Queenslanders aged 16 or older will be rewarded with a return to normal life on December 17 or once the State hits 80 per cent of eligible citizens being fully vaccinated.
From that date stadiums, venues and festivals will only be open to attendees that are fully vaccinated, with police enforcing the requirements.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said these measures are a reward for vaccinated Queenslanders.
“This pandemic has been a long, hard road,” Palaszczuk said.
“Soon our borders will open and COVID will be in our communities.”
“This is about keeping our freedoms.”
Visitors to aged care, hospitals, prisons and disability services will be required to be vaccinated except in end-of-life cases, childbirth or emergencies.
The first fully vaccinated event will be the Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder Big Bash League match at the Gabba on 19 December.
Tourism and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said making sure spectators were fully vaccinated was critical to keeping all Queenslanders safe from COVID-19.
“If you want to see sporting spectacles like the BBL or State of Origin, you need to be vaccinated,” Hinchliffe said.
“Without double vaccination you won’t make it past the Gabba turnstiles from 17 December onwards.”
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said COVID-safe quarantine plans have already been developed with Queensland Health for the England and Australian cricket teams for the first test on 8 December.
“Then the game changes again for all sports and concerts from 17 December,” said D’Ath.
“Together as Queenslanders we are facing down the virus and building towards a brighter future.”
Greater Darwin to lift lockout from midnight
The lockout for Greater Darwin will lift at 11:59pm tonight after it was extended by 24 hours due to a new public exposure site being identified at Noonamah Tavern.
Katherine, which was lifted from lockdown yesterday at 5pm, has put a mask mandate in place until 5pm on 12 November.
The below areas remain in lockout until midnight:
City of Darwin
City of Palmerston
Litchfield Council
Wagait Shire
Belyuen Shire
Dundee
Bynoe
Charlotte
Cox Peninsula
Updated at 9:06am AEST on 9 November 2021.
WA roadmap projects early 2022 reopening at 90 per cent double-vaccination milestone
More than 250,000 unvaccinated Western Australians have been urged to roll up their sleeves to get the jab after Premier Mark McGowan unveiled the state's roadmap to reopening today, with plans to ease border restrictions once 90 per cent of the population aged 12 and over is double-dose vaccinated.
The Premier said modelling indicated that milestone would likely be hit in late January or early February 2022, although there is potential for the threshold to be met earlier or later depending on vaccination rates.
"Once we hit 80 per cent and then set the specific date for transition, that date will be locked in to provide everyone with the certainty they need to plan ahead and be prepared for the next stage of this pandemic," McGowan said, noting this announcement would likely be made in December.
"As far as world standards go a rate of 90 per cent will be an amazing achievement, but I've always believed we can strive high and get the best result for our state, and given the current vaccination rate these targets are realistic and within our sights.
"It is a statewide vaccination rate, however if there are there are regional areas that don't have a high enough vaccination rates, then pending health advice at that time, intrastate borders to protect those specific regions may need to be introduced."
He noted the modelling indicated the decision to open up at a 90 per cent rather than 80 per cent rate would likely save 200 lives.
Once the transition begins, face masks will be required in high-risk indoor settings including public transport, hospitals and aged care facilities, while proof of vaccination will be required to attend nightclubs, the casino and large events with crowds of more than 1,000 people.
"Contact registers and the use of SafeWA will still be required at all public venues, as will revised COVID event and safety plans, and entry will be restricted to emote Aboriginal communities where necessary," the Premier said.
"These safeguards will complement our vaccination rollout. They will be interim, they won't last forever, but they will put us in the best position in case of an outbreak."
At that date travel will be permitted from all jurisdictions across Australia with double-dose vaccination requirements for arrivals from interstate, as well as the need to return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure and take another test within 48 hours of arrival.
"International arrivals won't be subject to quarantine if they're double-dose vaccinated, but international arrivals who are not double-dose vaccinated will be required to complete 14 days of quarantine in a designated facility.
"I understand there will be disappointment for some. I acknowledge some people will be frustrated - they may not be able to be reunited with family from New South Wales or Victoria over Christmas.
"I know what that feels like. I understand. I won't be able to see my parents and my brother until the transition in late January or early February, but as difficult as it is, it is for the right reasons."
WA Health Minister Roger Cook emphasised younger people in particular would play an important part in reaching that goal, as currently less than 60 per cent of 30-somethings were fully vaccinated and only 45 per cent of those in their 20s had received two doses.
"Tell your friends, tell your mates, tell your brother, tell your sister - go and get vaccinated now. Do you really want your lifestyle to be cramped just because you couldn't bother to get vaccinated? Of course you don't, so don't hold everyone back," he said.
"We need two million Western Australians double dose vaccinated to reach 90 per cent, and at the moment 1.75 million have had one dose, and 1.4 million have had two doses, so we need 250,000 to get their first dose, and 600,000 more two doses."
Updated at 10:25am AWST on 5 November 2021.
NSW and VIC reopen borders to each other, Darwin in lockout, Katherine in lockdown
Free travel between Australia’s two biggest states is now permitted after border restrictions between New South Wales and Victoria were eased overnight, well ahead of the busy Christmas travel period.
Meanwhile, a positive case of community transmission in the Northern Territory has sent Greater Darwin into a 72-hour ‘lockout’ and Katherine into a three-day lockdown as of midnight last night.
In a joint statement between NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and VIC Premier Daniel Andrews, the two have agreed to open borders because of high vaccination rates in both states.
Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer declared yesterday that from 11.59pm last night the ACT and all remaining orange zones in New South Wales would become green zones under VIC’s travel permit system.
This means, for the first time in more than six months, all local government areas (LGAs) in all states and territories across Australia will be green zones for the purpose of entering Victoria.
Travellers, including workers, who are entering Victoria from a green zone face no testing or quarantine requirements, but are still required to obtain a permit from Service Victoria before they arrive, to verify they aren’t COVID-19 positive or required to isolate as a close contact.
There are no requirements for fully vaccinated Victorians entering New South Wales unless they have been to a place of high concern in Victoria. A Victorian who is older than 16 and not fully vaccinated is not allowed to enter NSW for recreation or a holiday.
This comes as 93.8 per cent of people in NSW aged 16 and over have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 89.1 per cent have received both doses.
In Victoria 92.7 per cent of people aged 16 and over have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 82.5 per cent have had two doses.
“NSW is set to pass 90 per cent double dose vaccination in the near future, with Victoria not far behind, allowing family and friends to be reunited in the lead up to Christmas after many months of being separated,” Perrottet said.
“This milestone has only been made possible because people across NSW and Victoria have rolled up their sleeves and led the nation on the road back to normality thanks to our high vaccination rates.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews thanked people on both sides of the border for rolling up their sleeves and getting the jab.
“Thanks to the incredibly hard work of Victorians and people in New South Wales in getting vaccinated, we’re delighted to be able to have free travel between the two states once again,” Andrews said.
“Victoria and New South Wales have been through so much over the last few months, and we’re pleased that more families will now be able to reunite just in time for Christmas and the holiday season.”
The Victorian Chamber and Business NSW have united to welcome the joint announcement that Australia’s two most populous states will allow free travel between them.
“NSW and Victoria have led the way for Australia with the highest vaccination rates in the world which has now enabled us to live with COVID-19," Business NSW chief executive Daniel Hunter said.
“The effort that New South Wales and Victorian residents have made has been truly outstanding, and we are now able to reignite the two strongest economies and fast-track Australia’s economic recovery.
“We are thankful for the collaboration between our State Governments to enable this to happen. We can now safely and securely plan interstate business trips, family reunions and holidays, and look forward to a wonderful Christmas period.”
Victorian Chamber chief executive Paul Guerra also welcomed the changes, saying it will help "turbocharge" the economies of both NSW and Victoria.
"Now that we are able to finally close this chapter, we should embrace the lessons learned and continue with this strong state collaboration so that we can drive the nation’s economic recovery," Guerra said.
“We can now all look forward to a wonderful summer, Christmas and New Years celebrations with family and friends, and a successful 2022 as a nation whole again.”
Single COVID case sparks NT lockdown
A positive case of community transmission in the Northern Territory - the first ever recorded in the Top End - has forced the Territory government to put Greater Darwin in ‘lockout’ and Katherine into lockdown for three days.
Effective midnight last night, the city of Katherine including Tindal will enter into a full lockdown for 72 hours.
Because of high vaccination rates in the Greater Darwin region, the below areas will enter into a ‘lockout’ for 72 hours. This means fully-vaccinated people will be able to continue to live life as normal within the following LGAs:
City of Darwin
City of Palmerston
Litchfield Council
Wagait Shire
Belyuen Shire
Dundee
Bynoe
Charlotte
Cox Peninsula
Unvaccinated residents, including those people who have received only their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, must stay at home for the 72 hour lockout period and are only permitted to leave for the following four reasons:
Medical treatment, including COVID testing or vaccination
For essential goods and services, like groceries and medications
For one hour of outdoor exercise a day within 5 km from your home with one other person or people from your house
To provide care and support to a family member or person who cannot support themselves.
Unvaccinated people are not able to leave the Greater Darwin Region or attend their workplace, even if they are an essential worker.
The lockdown and lockout follows confirmation of a positive COVID-19 case - a man in his 20’s who is an NT resident and lives between Humpty Doo and Katherine where he works at the RAAF Tindal Base.
He is unvaccinated and is being transported by CareFlight to the Centre of National Resilience tonight. It is not known where he contracted COVID-19. Wastewater testing is negative at this time.
The man was tested for COVID-19 on 3 November 2021 and returned a positive test tonight. He was infectious in the community between 31 October 2021 and 3 November 2021. Contact tracing is underway and the man’s household contacts in both Darwin and Katherine are isolating at home.
The man visited various locations in Darwin and Katherine during his infectious period. The exposure site locations are available at coronavirus.nt.gov.au.
Updated at 9.28am AEDT on 5 November 2021.
Three new COVID cases detected in Goondiwindi, QLD
Queensland has today recorded three new cases of COVID-19, all in the border town of Goondiwindi, but no lockdown will be ordered because of the town’s high rate of vaccination.
The three cases are all in the process of being transferred to a COVID hospital, and the cluster is linked to a New South Wales resident who was in Goondiwindi for one day doing essential shopping.
Two of the new local cases are unvaccinated and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged Goondiwindi residents to get tested if displaying COVID symptoms.
Of the three cases, one is a contact of a known cluster and is not of concern to QLD health officials.
The second has been in the community while infectious for five days and all household contacts have tested negative, while the third has been in the community for four days.
"We don't have to lock Goondiwindi down," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said, noting this latest outbreak is a wake-up call for the state.
"You can have a very, very high vaccination rate and this virus will hunt you down.”
The Premier also used the press conference to remind Queenslanders to get vaccinated as soon as possible before the state’s border reopens to NSW and Victoria.
In particular, those on the Gold Coast were urged to lift low rates of vaccination in the city, especially considering that 90 per cent of vehicles that cross into QLD travel through the Gold Coast.
Updated at 11.28am AEDT on 4 November 2021.
NSW brings forward major easing of restrictions to next Monday
Some major changes to the New South Wales’ COVID-19 roadmap will be brought forward by nearly one month as the state hits vaccine milestones at a blistering pace, with eased restrictions to come into effect for vaccinated people from Monday 8 November.
The changes, which include the lifting of capacity limits, the introduction of the one person per two square metre rule for all settings, and full stadiums for major events will come into force from 8 November.
This is well ahead of the planned 1 December date previously pencilled in for these changes.
At the same time, the state government has decided to push back the easing of restrictions for those who are not fully vaccinated until 15 December, in line with when it is expected 95 per cent of the eligible population will have received two doses of a COVID-19 jab.
Currently, 87.7 per cent of the state’s eligible population aged 16 and older are fully vaccinated, with the state tipped to reach 90 per cent fully vaccinated mark this coming Sunday.
“We want to get to a point where New South Wales is open, one and free, and we believe that the changes we’ve made today will enable that to occur,” New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
“This is a long journey. Our challenges still lie ahead, but our success as a state and being able to open up safely is a testament to everybody in New South Wales who have gone out and made the effort to get vaccinated.”
As such, from 8 November restrictions will ease for fully vaccinated people in NSW including:
Density limits will shift to one person per two square meters across the board
Capacity limits will be lifted for all settings except for gym classes which will stay at 20 people per class
Visitors to homes will be uncapped
Outdoor gatherings can increase, but gatherings of more than 1,000 will need a COVID Safe plan in place
Indoor pools can reopen for all purposes
Amusement parks and play centres can reopen
Major events and stadiums can have 100 per cent capacity
Despite the changes, indoor mask wearing will still be mandatory until 15 December.
“I really extend my appreciation to the community for understanding that this is a really important risk mitigation strategy for indoor settings,” NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said.
The news comes as NSW recorded 173 new COVID-19 cases overnight and four deaths attributed to the coronavirus.
Updated at 11.06am AEDT on 2 November 2021.
Australia to allow quarantine-free travel to Singaporeans this month
In three weeks' time Singapore will join New Zealand as part of an exclusive club of countries whose citizens are allowed to travel to Australia without spending two weeks in quarantine on arrival.
However, where exactly they can do so will depend on the decisions of states and territories, with New South Wales and Victoria announced as the first jurisdictions to participate in the new travel bubble.
New quarantine-free arrangements will commence on November 21 for fully vaccinated Singaporeans travelling from the city state who present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, and they need not have spent the fortnight prior in Singapore itself to be eligible
The news follows Singapore's decision to allow Australia into its Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme from 8 November, and was announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rome after a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong.
"Australia is slinging its doors open to fully vaccinated Singaporean travellers in November,” the Prime Minister said.
“This is another significant milestone in our step by step approach to safely reopening to the world that we outlined in the National Plan.
"It follows the announcement this week that fully vaccinated travellers from New Zealand will be welcomed back in October."
The PM emphasised this meant within weeks Australia would be welcoming tourists from two of our top 10 travel destinations.
"This is the billion dollar boost that Australia’s tourism industry has been waiting for," he said.
"Step by step, everything that we know and love about Australia is inching back to normal."
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne, highlighted many Australians live and work in Singapore, and vice versa.
"The strong exchanges over many decades have been to the benefit of both our nations,” Minister Payne said.
"It attests to the strength of our friendship and the effective management of COVID in each of our countries that we have been able to agree this early step in the reopening of normal travel.
"As we continue with our shared regional recovery from the pandemic, the resumption of travel between Singapore and Australia will provide great opportunities to move forward.”
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said this was the next logical step in reopening to the world.
“Australia remains a popular, world-leading destination and this is just the start of our international tourism comeback,” Minister Tehan said.
“Australia’s tourism operators and the sector’s 660,000 workers will welcome back with open arms visitors from Singapore.
“Quarantine-free arrivals demonstrate the success of our National Plan and the strength of our recovery.”
The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has welcomed the news Singaporean tourists will be able to visit quarantine-free, as well as the fact the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recognised more vaccines - Covaxin (India) and Sinopharm (China).
"Our industry has been waiting for this announcement for 20 long months and there will be a great deal of relief felt today as export tourism businesses start to see the signs of returning international visitors,” ATEC managing director Peter Shelley said.
"Thousands of Australian tourism businesses have been waiting patiently for our borders to open to welcome back international guests and this announcement will provide some energy for those businesses.
"Despite much talk of ‘pivoting to domestic travel’ the reality is both our domestic and internationally focused tourism businesses have suffered heavily with both state and international border closures."
Shelley noted Singaporeans spent more than $1 billion in Australia in 2019.
"And we remain a strongly desirable destination and with proximity and motivation on our side, we hope this market will offer strong opportunities," he said.
"Along with thousands of tourism operators and all the hundreds of thousands of businesses who rely on the international tourism revenue they generate, we welcome this announcement and look forward to the expansion of this travel list in the near future."
According to World Atlas, Singapore was the sixth largest source of international tourists in Australia in 2019 with 407,000 visitors.
Australia's combined trade in goods with Singapore in 2020 was worth more than US$10.6 billion (AUD$14.1 billion), according to data from Trade Map based on ABS and UN Comtrade statistics.
Updated at 5:10pm AEDT on 1 November 2021.
Australia welcomes back New Zealanders as one-way bubble reopens
As NSW welcomes back international arrivals for citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members, Australia has also reopened the quarantine-free travel bubble with New Zealand.
The allowance only goes one way however, and was put into effect by the Federal Chief Health Officer t last night at 11:59pm for all Australian jurisdictions that are willing to adopt the setting.
All travellers are subject to the following pre-departure measures:
Proof of a negative pre-departure PCR test within 3 days of the departure flight to Australia, and a completed declaration to this effect; and
Evidence of full vaccination against COVID-19 consistent with the ATAGI definition of fully vaccinated with a TGA approved or recognised vaccine.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan says the resumption of quarantine-free arrivals from New Zealand would be a major boost for tourism and confidence.
"In 2019, Australia hosted 1.434 million visitors from New Zealand – making it our second largest source market – and they spent $1.6 billion in the Australian economy supporting local jobs and businesses,” says Minister Tehan.
"Australia delivers what Kiwis want in a holiday, including safety and security, value for money and world class natural beauty and wildlife.
"Tourism Australia will look to scale up its marketing activities in New Zealand, with an immediate focus on building confidence and broadening knowledge of the depth of Australia’s tourism offering."
In October the Australian Passport Officer received more than 102,000 passport applications, an average of more than 5,000 every work day compared to 82,000 applications in September and 53,000 applications in August.
There has also been strong demand for the new International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate, with more than 717,500 certificates generated since it was launched on 19 October.
Updated at 11:10am AEDT on 1 November 2021.
First quarantine-free international arrivals in Sydney as NSW hits roadmap milestone
Sydney has today welcomed its first incoming passengers with no border or quarantine restrictions as NSW reaches its 1 November milestone, with new freedoms for the double-vaccinated including the ability to travel between the state capital and regional areas.
Under a further easing of restrictions in NSW, bookings for hospitality venues are also no longer capped.
Sydney Airport (ASX: SYD) received its first quarantine-free international flight - Qantas (ASX: QAN) flight QF12 - from Los Angeles this morning at 6am.
"This day has been a long time coming for our people and our customers. It’s wonderful to see Australians able to reunite with loved ones after such a long time apart," says Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.
"It’s been very challenging time for our international crew, with many of them stood down since March 2020. We are in the process of standing up our Australian-based team members who are excited to get back to doing what they love.
"We are back in the air earlier than anticipated thanks to the millions of people who turned out in droves to get vaccinated. This made it possible for the Federal, and NSW and Victorian governments to open up Australia’s borders and remove quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers."
The news comes nearly 600 days after Australia closed its international borders, while this evening at 6:30pm an outgoing flight will depart from Sydney to London via Darwin.
While the national carrier has flown hundreds of Federal Government repatriation flights during the COVID-19 pandemic, and operated under a temporary border bubble arrangement with New Zealand earlier this year, these are the first regular Qantas international passenger flights after the Australian and NSW governments relaxed restrictions on overseas travel.
The NSW Government has removed quarantine requirements and caps for overseas arrivals who the Commonwealth Government recognises as fully vaccinated with a TGA-approved vaccine.
Fully vaccinated travellers already in quarantine will also complete their quarantine requirements on November 1, even if it is less than 14 days.
Overseas travellers who are not fully vaccinated must undergo managed 14-day hotel quarantine, and the cap will remain at 210 people per week. However, there will be exemptions for children aged under 12, or 12-17 year old travelling to Australia with their family or guardian or who have an exemption.
Parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents can also travel to Australia from today, with applications made through the Department of Home Affairs Travel Exemption Portal.
"International travel may be a little different for a while with some new requirements and guidelines in place, but one thing that hasn’t changed is Qantas’ commitments to safety and premium service. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome everyone back on board," Joyce says.
"Today is a day many people have been waiting for and our high vaccination rates have allowed us to re-open in a safe and considered way," says NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.
"Families and friends across NSW can now get together as well look forward to welcoming back home Australians who have been overseas trying to get home."
As of today, 87.7 per cent of the NSW population aged 16 and over have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while even regional NSW is outpacing all other states and territories with 82 per cent of its population fully vaccinated.
In contrast, 80.3 per cent of Victorians are double-vaccinated and just 63.9 per cent of Queenslanders have received two doses.
Way ahead of other parts of the country, NSW's vaccination rates have given authorities the confidence to allow for more intrastate travel, which Deputy Premier Paul Toole says will provide a huge boost to the state.
"Today is a great day for regional NSW. I know Sydneysiders are busting to head to the bush and we can’t wait to welcome them back with open arms and for families and friends to get the chance to reunite," the Deputy Premier says.
"Around 82 per cent of the population in regional NSW has now been fully vaccinated - this an exceptional result and I want to thank every single person who has rolled up their sleeves so travel can resume and businesses can start to bounce back."
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres says it is time for Sydney to regain its title as the gateway to the nation with Australians coming home in time for Christmas.
"NSW is again open for business. People can come together in a safe way whether it be returning home from overseas or getting together for an end-of-year gathering at your favourite venue," Ayres says.
More than $530 million has been invested in reviving events across the state and getting tourism back on track as part of the NSW Government’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said NSW was leading Australia out of the pandemic, with the state close to now reaching the 90 per cent double-dose vaccination rate.
“The people of NSW can be proud of our vaccination rate, and there’s no reason we can’t reach 95 per cent double-dose vaccination to help ensure we get on top of this pandemic,” Mr Hazzard said.
“NSW can be one of the highest vaccinated jurisdictions in the world.”
NSW residents across the state will still need to comply with COVID-Safe check-ins and provide proof of vaccination to staff in most settings.
Updated at 10:59am AEDT on 1 November 2021.
Pack your suitcase: 'Do not travel' advice lifted for outbound Aussies
With Australia’s international borders set to progressively reopen from 1 November in line with the New South Wales COVID-19 roadmap, the Federal Government has lifted its global ‘do not travel’ advice for those who are fully vaccinated.
As such, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) smartraveller.gov.au platform is updating travel advice levels for 177 destinations based on the latest assessment of risk - both COVID-19 and other threats to safety and security.
Prior to today, Australian travellers have been given Level 4 advice - ‘Do not travel’ - but that will be downgraded for a number of locations for those looking to go overseas, as long as they’ve received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The four travel advice levels are:
Level 1: Exercise normal safety precautions
Level 2: Exercise a high degree of caution
Level 3: Reconsider your need to travel
Level 4: Do not travel
According to smartraveller.gov.au, no destination will be set lower than Level 2 due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 globally, and some destinations will remain at Level 4 if there are “extreme security and safety risks”.
“When you’re planning to travel overseas, it’s your responsibility to be informed about all the destinations you're visiting and to take all precautions for your safety,” says smartraveller.gov.au.
“COVID-19 remains an ongoing global health risk. Border settings and quarantine requirements are complex and can change at short notice.”
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the Federal Government was committed to easing restrictions for fully vaccinated Australians, in line with soaring vaccination rates and the National Plan to transition Australia’s COVID-19 response.
“Our first priority is Australian citizens and permanent residents and today we are delivering on that by removing restrictions on fully-vaccinated Australians travelling out of Australia. The easing of these restrictions is possible thanks to our impressive national vaccination rates, and I thank all those who have done the right thing and rolled up their sleeve,” Minister Andrews said.
“I look forward to further easing restrictions over coming weeks and months as more and more Australians become fully vaccinated. Before the end of the year, we anticipate welcoming fully vaccinated skilled workers and international students.
“Our system of border exemptions has kept Australia free from widespread COVID transmission for more than 18 months, but as Australia’s vaccination rate continues to climb, and the end of the year approaches, the Morrison Government stands ready to once more welcome a significant number of fully vaccinated people across Australia’s international border.”
Those that are not fully vaccinated will continue to require a travel exemption to go overseas and will be subject to current passenger caps and state-determined quarantine arrangements when returning to Australia.
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