Australian travel requirement for negative COVID-19 test scrapped in pandemic rule changes

A need for men and women travelling to Australia from abroad to test destructive for COVID-19 ahead of arrival has been scrapped.

A ban on global cruise ships coming to Australia and a rule preventing quick antigen tests selling price gouging have also ended, in alterations to Australia’s pandemic policies which came into impact on Easter Monday.

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Then federal health and fitness minister Greg Hunt announced last month the adjustments had been advised by Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly immediately after Australia “avoided some of the worst outcomes from the early unfold of the virus and now has a single of the highest vaccination fees in the world”.

States and territories nevertheless have the electricity to put into practice the destructive tests prerequisite, nonetheless, most refer to Commonwealth necessities in furnishing travel information for global arrivals.

Arrivals will continue to require to be double vaccinated for COVID-19 and don masks on domestic and worldwide flights.

On Monday, the Pacific Explorer pulled into Sydney Harbour, turning into the to start with luxurious cruise ship to return to Australian shores due to the fact a ban activated by the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

P&O Australia’s $400 million luxury liner, which has potential for virtually 2000 travellers, arrived in Sydney on Monday early morning.

The ship docked surrounded by tugboats, with a substantial banner at the bow studying “We’re Home”.

The Explorer’s return to total provider will coincide with that of Ponant’s Le Laperouse, which will begin operations concerning Darwin and Broome on April 28, signing up for neighborhood operators in time for the Kimberley cruise period.

Cruise Lines International Association Australia suggests the lifting of the ban will see “a meticulously managed resumption of operations” in a sector that earlier supported additional than 18,000 work opportunities.

Cruise Lines’ Australasian managing director Joel Katz claimed in advance of the pandemic a lot more than a million Australians a 12 months took an ocean cruise.

“We now have an chance to return to sailing and revive an business that was worth much more than $5 billion annually to the Australian economy,” he said.

Circumstances keep on being significant

“While no location is immune from COVID-19, the cruise industry’s new protocols present among the optimum achievable stages of prevention, detection and mitigation.”

The shift will come regardless of COVID-19 infections remaining higher.

Additional than 31,000 new cases have been reported throughout the nation so much on Monday, together with 9 virus-related fatalities.