Australian borders have been shut for a year and half to non-citizens and non-residents due to the spread of Covid-19. Even though Australia planned to retain the strict restrictions till 2022, it’s now planning to open up by Christmas.

Dan Tehan, the country’s minister for trade and tourism, told the reporters “ People will be able to travel freely outside Australia without any restrictions”. He gave hope to the people who have been separated from their friends and families since March 2020.

The government is also trying to open travel bubbles with different countries to reduce the time spent in quarantine and making home quarantine operational.

International travel will return when at least 80% of the eligible population is vaccinated, at the moment only 48.5% of the eligible population are fully vaccinated and because of that efforts are being made to ramp up the vaccination campaign.

Vaccine passports will be required which will prove that the holder is fully vaccinated. The holders will have a QR code that will be scanned at international borders.

Vaccines approved by Australia are:

• Moderna
• AstraZeneca
• Pfizer
• Johnson & Johnson

Tehan reassured that we will soon see the borders opening up if we stick to the national plan.

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