The Australian government has on Wednesday announced that fully-vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents will be allowed to travel outside the country without needing a special exemption from November 1, as the country continues to ease most Covid related restrictions around the country as the national vaccination rate nears 80%.
The move was announced by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in an interview on 7News, who also said that over half a million Australians have already downloaded their international vaccination certificate.
Vaccinated outbound travelers will no longer need to seek any special exemption for travel as they have had to for nearly 18 months as Australia tightened its borders.
The move comes just days after Sydney and Melbourne announced the lifting of quarantine rules for fully vaccinated inbound travelers, opening the door for Australian residents who have been stuck abroad for several months to finally return home.
In his address, Morrison noted that the “national plan” was working and Australia is opening up as vaccination rates in the country continue to rise rapidly.
Earlier on Tuesday, Singapore announced it would allow quarantine-free entry to fully vaccinated travelers from Australia from November 8, and Morrison said a reciprocal arrangement will be announced soon.
74.8%. That’s the total percentage of Australia’s eligible population—people over the age of 16—who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 according to the Sydney Morning Herald’s vaccine tracker. 87.4% of the eligible population has received at least one vaccine dose. Australia plans to lift most of its pandemic measures once 80% of the population is fully vaccinated, a number it expects to hit in early November.
Australia’s federal drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on Wednesday provisionally approved a booster shot of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for people aged over 18. Announcing the move, Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said booster doses are expected to be rolled out by November 8 after the country’s vaccination technical advisory group approves it. (Forbes)