Australia eases ban on international borders for the first time since March 2020

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SYDNEY – Australia eased its international border restrictions on Monday for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing part of its vaccinated public to travel freely and many families to reunite, prompting emotional hugs at Sydney airport.

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After 18 months of some of the strictest coronavirus border policies in the world, millions of Australians can now travel without a permit or the need to self-quarantine upon arrival in the country.

While travel is initially limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families, it sets in motion a plan to reopen the country to tourists and international workers, both much needed to revitalize a weary nation.

Passengers on the first flights from Singapore and Los Angeles arrived in Sydney early in the morning, many being greeted by tearful friends and relatives they had not seen in several months. Travelers were also greeted by airline staff with banners and presented as gifts of Australian wildflowers and chocolate chip cookies.

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“A little scary and exciting, I have come home to see my mother because she is not well,” Ethan Carter said after landing on a Qantas Airways flight from Los Angeles.

“So it’s all anxiety and excitement and I love her so much and can’t wait to see her,” he said, adding that he had been out of the country for two years.

In one of the world’s toughest responses to the coronavirus pandemic, Australia slammed its international border 18 months ago, banning foreign tourists and prohibiting citizens from leaving or arriving unless granted an exemption.

The strict travel regulations effectively prohibited many Australians from attending important events, such as weddings and funerals, and also prevented people from seeing family and friends.

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“It is a day of celebration – the fact that Australians can more freely enter and leave our country without quarantine at home, if they are vaccinated twice,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

There are 16 scheduled international flight arrivals at Sydney Airport on Monday and 14 scheduled departures, the airport operator said. Data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows that some 47,000 people abroad are eager to return home.

The relaxation of travel rules in the states of Victoria and New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory comes as much of Australia shifts from a zero COVID pandemic management strategy to living with the virus through extensive vaccinations.

While the Delta outbreak kept Sydney and Melbourne locked up for months until recently, COVID-19 cases in Australia remain much lower than many comparable countries, with just over 170,500 infections and 1,735 deaths.

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NO TOURISTS YET

However, the change in travel rules is not uniform across the country, and states and territories have different vaccination rates and health policies.

Western Australia, home to one of the world’s largest iron ore enclosures, remains largely isolated from the rest of the country, and the world, as the state tries to protect its virus-free status.

And while Thailand and Israel were supposed to receive vaccinated tourists starting Monday, foreign travelers were still not welcome in Australia, with the exception of those from neighboring New Zealand.

“We still have a long way to go in terms of recovering our sector, but allowing fully vaccinated Australians to travel without quarantine will provide the template to bring back students, business travelers and tourists from around the world,” the airport said. from Sydney. CEO Geoff Culbert said.

Singapore citizens are the next group to be allowed entry, as of November 21.

Unvaccinated travelers will continue to face quarantine restrictions and all travelers need proof of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding.

Previously, Australia only allowed a limited number of citizens and permanent residents to return from abroad, with a mandatory 14-day quarantine period at a hotel at their expense. There were also some exemptions for foreign travelers for financial reasons, including, controversially, some Hollywood stars.