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Australia slammed its international borders 18 months ago, prohibiting foreign tourists and its own citizens from leaving or entering the country. Strict travel regulations left thousands of Australians and permanent residents unable to see their family members and kept them away from important events such as weddings and funerals.
The Sydney International Airport was filled with flowers, emotional shouts and happy tears after the first arrivals at the air terminal. This Monday, Australia reopened its borders after almost 600 days of closure as a result of the pandemic.
For now, travel is initially limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members. For now, international tourists will have to wait, with the exception of those from neighboring New Zealand, who can also enter by giving proof of a complete vaccination scheme.
“It is a day of celebration – the fact that Australians can move more freely in and out of our country without home quarantine, if they are doubly vaccinated,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
It was on March 20, 2020 that the country applied some of the world’s most drastic border restrictions to counter Covid-19, leading international critics and analysts to label the country a “hermit state.”
The relaxation of restrictions allows a large part of the vaccinated people to travel freely and lead to long-awaited reunions by family and friends, revitalizing a nation fatigued by the health crisis.
Passengers on the first flights from Singapore and Los Angeles arrived in Sydney early in the morning and were greeted by loved ones and airline staff with banners, Australian wildflowers, cookies and gifts.
“I have come home to see my mother because she is not well, so everything is anxiety and excitement and I love her very much, I cannot wait to see her,” said Ethan Carter, after disembarking from a Qantas Airways flight, coming from The Angels.
According to reports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, some 47,000 people abroad are looking forward to going home.
“We still have a long way to go”
The different vaccination rates and health policies in the territories and states of the country prevent the change in travel regulations from being uniform.
Australia goes from a Covid-19 pandemic management strategy that sought to keep contagion cases to zero, to one of coexistence with the virus through extensive vaccination. Changes in travel occur only in the states of Victoria and New South Wales, where it is estimated that 80% of the population over 16 years of age is already fully vaccinated.
Non-immunized travelers will continue to face quarantine restrictions and all travelers need a negative COVID-19 test before boarding.
“We still have a long way to go in terms of the recovery of 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,” said the Managing Director of Sydney Airport, Geoff Culbert.
Previously, Australia allowed a limited number of citizens and permanent residents to enter with a special permit and serving a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a hotel assigned by the authorities.
Singapore citizens are the next group to be allowed entry as of November 21.
With REUTERS
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