Year wait for overseas trips

IT could be more than a year before Aussies are able to travel abroad — with the possible exception of New Zealand.

While official COVID-19 case numbers have surged past 4.3 million globally, the real number is probably closer to 20 million, according to Australia’s top medical expert.

With a vaccine still possibly a year off, Australian health authorities are unlikely to recommend easing border closures.

Chief medical officer Brendan Murphy yesterday told a

Senate inquiry they would be “one of the last things to go”.

“There is no clear road map out of this,” Prof Murphy said.

“I have no vision at the moment on the current international scene where international border measures of some very strong vigour won’t be necessary.”

He said regional and state borders were less crucial in stopping the spread — given low case numbers across the country — and would be opened before further easing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week said he could not see international travel happening “anytime soon”, flagging just a few reasons to warrant exemptions.

“There is nothing on our radar which would see us opening up international travel, in the foreseeable future,” Mr Morrison said.

“There are already some very, very minor exceptions where the Border Force can provide an exemption … but that’s in areas like facilitating development aid in Third World countries.”

A trans-Tasman “travel bubble” is being considered by Australia and NZ, but it could be months away.