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(CNN) — Australia will open its borders to totally vaccinated worldwide vacationers from late February, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison introduced on Monday, February 7 after a gathering of the federal government’s nationwide safety committee.
“The National Security Committee and Cabinet has determined in the present day that Australia will reopen our borders to all remaining visa holders on the twenty first of February,” Morrison stated, talking exterior parliament in Canberra.
Australia, which has been closed to most vacationers since early 2020, has been slowly easing its restrictions since November via journey packages with New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.
Currently, residents, everlasting residents and their households, together with worldwide college students, backpackers and migrant employees are allowed entry into the nation although they have to present proof of getting two doses of an authorized vaccine.
The identical rule will apply to vacationers, until they qualify for a medical exemption.
“The situation is you should be double vaccinated to come back to Australia. That’s the rule. Everyone is anticipated to abide by it,” Morrison stated, including that state-based caps on quarantine will proceed and that these caps will nonetheless be decided by state and territory governments.
In January, world tennis No. 1 Novak Djokovic had his visa canceled amid a debate over his vaccination exemption standing. He was in the end deported and couldn’t compete within the Australian Open.
“Your visa is one factor, however your entry into Australia requires you additionally to be double vaccinated and I believe occasions earlier within the yr ought to have despatched a really clear message I believe to everybody all over the world that that’s the requirement to enter into Australia,” Morrison stated.
The Prime Minister added that the border’s additional reopening would deliver a wanted enhance to the nation’s journey business.
“I do know the tourism business shall be trying ahead to that, and over the subsequent two weeks they’re going to get the chance each for guests to be coming and for them to be gearing as much as welcome worldwide guests again to Australia,” he stated.
As of February 7, Australia had confirmed 2,727,260 circumstances of the COVID-19 coronavirus, of which there have been 4,200 deaths.
Last yr, Tourism Australia, the nationwide journey and hospitality physique, launched an advert marketing campaign entitled “It’s Our Best Shot for Travel” in newspapers, on TV, on-line and throughout social media.
The marketing campaign inspired Australians to get Covid vaccines with a view to open up nationwide borders and to have the ability to journey once more.
Currently, about 80% of eligible adults within the nation are absolutely vaccinated.
CNN’s Teele Rebane contributed reporting
Sydney Harbour photograph by EPA-EFE/Shutterstock