Covid: Unboosted international tourists flying into NSW won’t need to quarantine

Dominic Perrottet has for the first time made it clear whether unboosted international tourists flying into NSW will need to go into hotel quarantine.

Unboosted international tourists will be able to fly into NSW without going into hotel quarantine, the Premier has confirmed.

Dominic Perrottet has for the first time made it clear a booster dose will not be needed to avoid two weeks in hotel quarantine when the border reopens on February 21.

Mr Perrottet had previously agreed with the commonwealth government that double-vaccinated tourists should be allowed to fly into Australia but had not clarified whether they would need three doses to avoid quarantine.

Dominic Perrottet has said unboosted international tourists will be able to fly into NSW without going into hotel quarantine. Picture: Gaye Gerard / NCA Newswire

There had been some confusion about whether or not state government public health orders would need to be changed to allow unboosted arrivals to skip quarantine before Mr Perrottet clarified his position on Sunday.

Asked directly whether tourists would need three doses to avoid hotel quarantine, Mr Perrottet said: “No”.

Meanwhile, the Premier has said that cabinet will consider when to change its advice for people to work from home if they can.

The advice will not change in line with the easing of restrictions currently slated for the end of the month, but Mr Perrottet said he wants workers back in the city.

“I want the public servants back to work, in the office,” he said.

“I want people to return to the city.”

Mr Perrottet said the earlier advice around working from home could change, the better.

NSW DAILY COVID CASES FALL TO 6686

NSW has recorded 22 new Covid-19 deaths and 6686 cases, just days after the state made a major rule change over visiting terminally ill people in hospital.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Friday the state’s response to the Omicron wave has been better than expected with lower ICU numbers.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. Picture: Damian Shaw

Of the confirmed cases, 2385 cases came from PCR tests while 4301 were detected from rapid antigen kits.

On Saturday, the state recorded 8183 new Covid-19 cases and 32 deaths.

The Histopath COVID-19 testing centre at the Sydney International Airport. Picture: Christian Gilles

Earlier this week, hospital visiting guidelines had been changed to allow family members of terminally ill people to see their loved ones before they die.

It came after weeks of pressure on the government and Mr Perrottet conceding there had been “many heartbreaking stories” over hospital restrictions.