Korea, Japan on travel agenda
AUSTRALIANS will soon be able to travel to Japan and South Korea under new travelbubble arrangements to be formalised in coming weeks.
As of this week, fully vaccinated Australians are able to travel to Singapore without quarantining, provided they test negative to Covid-19 within 48 hours of departing and again after arriving.
From November 21, fully vaccinated Singaporeans will be able to fly to NSW, Victoria and the ACT without quarantining on the condition they test negative to Covid-19.
Other states are not yet accepting international arrivals except for returning Australians, who must quarantine for two weeks at a statemanaged facility.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said bubbles would soon open up to two other Asian destinations.
“Singapore opens up on November 21, and I think we’ll move fairly quickly beyond that into (South) Korea and Japan, and before the end of the year I hope we’re opening up even more,” Mr Morrison told the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.
The PM, who praised Victoria and NSW for abolishing quarantine, said travellers from outside Singapore, South Korea and Japan were unlikely to be allowed into Australia until next year.
He did indicate that international students and skilled workers would be allowed into Australia without quarantining “as soon as possible”.
“Students will be back, I think, before the end of the year, particularly in Victoria,” Mr Morrison said.
Until last month, Australians who wanted to travel overseas for professional or compassionate reasons needed to apply for an exemption to leave the country.
The country is nearing a first-dose milestone, with 90 per cent of all Aussies aged over 16 expected to have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of Friday, according to Health Minister Greg Hunt.
Every state and territory in Australia has now passed the 80 per cent first- dose rate.
NSW and the ACT continue to lead the nation in vaccination rates, with 94 and 95 per cent of their respective populations having had at least one jab.
“What we’re seeing is a country on track to have over 90 per cent of the population doubled dosed – one of the highest rates in the world,” Mr Hunt said.
While Australia’s doubledose rate is about 81.9 per cent, it is much lower among certia sections of the population.
Indigenous Australians, for example, continue to fall behind, due in part to their geographical isolation and lack of trust in mainstream health services.
Mr Hunt said this issue was gradually being resolved, with vaccination rates in the Northern Territory picking up steam over the past month.