Scott Morrison says quarantine-free travel soon on the cards for Korea, Japan
Australia will ‘soon’ open to two new countries in the Asia-Pacific, as the national vaccination rate prepares to reach 90 per cent.
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Australians will soon be able to travel to Japan and South Korea under new travel-bubble arrangements set to be formalised within 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 state-managed facility.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said bubbles would soon open up to two other Asian destinations.
“Singapore opens up on the 21st of November, and I think we’ll move fairly quickly beyond that into Korea and Japan, and before the end of the year I hope we’re opening up even more,” he told the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.
“Australians have been through a lot. They don’t want to see it get the wobbles now in terms of how we’re managing the safely reopening process.”
The abolishment of quarantine in Victoria and NSW was praised during the Prime Minister’s address on Wednesday.
“I commend both NSW and Victoria in abolishing quarantine for those coming from overseas, vaccination was a key part of the answer and that has been answered,” he said.
While travellers from outside Singapore, Korea and Japan are unlikely to be allowed into Australia until next year, Mr Morrison indicated international students and skilled workers would be allowed back into Australia, without quarantining, “as soon as possible”.
“Students will be back, I think, before the end of the year, particularly in Victoria,” he said.
As of Thursday, more than 81 per cent of Australians aged over 16 are fully vaccinated, and the 90 per cent first dose rate is expected to be surpassed on the weekend.
Until last month, Australians who wanted to travel overseas for professional or compassionate reasons needed to apply for an exemption to leave the country.
COVID JABS FOR KIDS
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has granted provisional determination to Moderna for use of it’s vaccine in children aged six to 11 years old.
If approved, Moderna will be the first vaccine in Australia available for children under 12.
The TGA said the decision was based on updated clinical data on the use of the vaccine in children, as well as the impacts Covid-19 was having on children’s schooling.
“In making its decision to grant Moderna a provisional determination, the TGA considered evidence of a plan to submit comprehensive clinical data in relation to use in children,” the statement read.
“The TGA also considered infections in children and the impacts of COVID-19 in relation to children’s participation in school and sporting activities.
“Moderna Australia has now submitted data for provisional approval and the TGA is assessing the use of SPIKEVAX in children 6 to 11 years old.”
VICTORIA RECORDS 1003 CASES
Victoria has recorded 1313 new locally acquired Covid-19 infections on Thursday and four more deaths.
There are 457 Victorians in hospital — 79 of those in intensive care and 48 on a ventilator.
A total of 76,105 tests were processed on Wednesday.
About 85 per cent of Victorians aged older than 12 are fully vaccinated and 92.7 per cent have received their first jab.
A 90 per cent double-dose vaccination rate was predicted to be achieved about November 24.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews previously flagged that there would be “no caps anywhere” beyond that date.
“There will be no density limits anywhere,” he said.
“Masks will only be required in high-risk indoor settings, such as public transport, prisons, hospitals, aged care, to give you some examples.
”I want to see 80,000 plus people at the Boxing (Day) Test on day one.
“It won’t be easy, but we are very confident, very, very confident that we will be able to deliver that.”
NSW REPORTS 216 NEW CASES, THREE DEATHS
NSW has recorded 261 new, locally acquired Covid-19 cases and 1 death.
There were 77,009 tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday, while three overseas or interstate case was also reported.
Health authorities also issued an alert for three gyms across Sydney after they were linked to 11 confirmed cases.
Anyone who attended Barry’s Bootcamp classes at Kings Cross, Surry Hills and Martin Place between October 30 and November 4 is being contacted by NSW Health with testing and self-isolation instructions.
Anyone who has not been contacted is asked to monitor for symptoms the virus.
Under the current NSW government guidelines, gym classes are limited to 20 people.
When the state hits 95 per cent fully vaccinated, unvaccinated residents will be able to enjoy the same freedoms as those who are jabbed.
A report released by NSW Health on Monday showed data collected during the state’s Delta outbreak that unvaccinated people were 16 times more likely to die or end up in hospital if they contracted the disease.
It came after people who were at Newcastle Airport on Monday and Wednesday last week were asked to get tested for coronavirus and self-isolate until receiving a negative result.
NSW Health said an infected person had visited the check-in hall, security screening and departure lounge facilities on Monday, November 1 between 1.13pm and 2pm.
On November 3, an infected person had visited the arrivals hall and male toilets shortly after 1pm.
NSW Health has stopped listing most exposure sites in metropolitan Sydney – where most coronavirus transmission events have taken place – to focus instead on virus exposure in the regions.
“Outside of metropolitan Sydney … close and casual contact venues assessed as a public health risk outside of metropolitan Sydney will continue to be listed,” the health department said.
MORE FREEDOMS FOR VACCINATED QUEENSLANDERS
Annastacia Palaszczuk will give double vaccinated Queenslanders unrestricted access to major events and venues before Christmas.
From December 17, only those who have received both doses of the Covid-19 jab will be allowed to visit pubs and clubs, sporting events, music festivals, hospitals and other state-owned venues.
“People want to be able to go to a music festival, a stadium, a cafe or a restaurant and know the people who are around them are fully vaccinated and it’s safe for their families,” the Premier said.
“This is an important step in keeping our freedoms.”
The new policy is expected to kick in on December 17 or earlier if the state reaches 80 per cent vaccination coverage.
At this stage, the new mandate will not be enforced on attendees to the Ashes cricket Test at the Gabba, which begins on December 8.
BREAKING: Fully vaccinated Queenslanders will be rewarded to keep our freedoms from 17 December or when we reach the 80% double dosed milestone. #covid19pic.twitter.com/WICAlLvxl0
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 9, 2021
From December 17, only those who are fully vaccinated will be able to visit the following sites:
- Hospitality venues, such as pubs, clubs, hotels, bars and restaurants
- Queensland government stadiums
- Entertainment venues featuring live music and karaoke bars
- Indoor and outdoor music festivals
- Government-owned galleries, museums and libraries
- Aged care, hospitals, prisons and disability services except in end of life, childbirth or emergencies
Ms Palaszczuk said the government will lean on this extra lever to encourage Queenslanders to get vaccinated when interstate travel restrictions are eased before Christmas.
“Millions of people have gone and got vaccinated and they need to be rewarded for their efforts,” she said.
“They have done a great job, they have done everything I have asked them to do. But as a community, if we are going to stop the spread of this virus when the borders open and the virus is going to come here, we need people to get vaccinated.
“Families want to know they are safe when they are out in public.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Premier revealed Queenslanders would be free to ditch their masks within the next 24 hours when the state reached 80 per cent single dose coverage.
Masks will no longer be required indoors, including schools, cafes, pubs, clubs, hairdressers and workplaces, once this target of residents get at least one jab.
NURSE CHARGED OVER ALLEGED JAB FRAUD
An “anti-vaxxer” nurse in Western Australia has been charged, after she allegedly pretended to administer a Covid-19 jab to a teenage patient, who allegedly sought her out specifically.
Christina Hartmann Benz, 51, was arrested on Sunday after a doctor witnessed her insert a needle into a 15-year-old child’s arm but not dispense the vaccine, Perth Magistrates Court heard.
She was employed to administer Covid vaccines at a private medical centre in St James, when she reportedly obtained approval from her employer for people she knew to receive their vaccine at the medical centre, and for her to administer the shots herself.
According to WA Police, a person known to the nurse attended the medical centre on Sunday and arranged for their teenage child to receive the vaccine.
The nurse then allegedly recorded into a database that the 15-year-old boy had been successfully vaccinated against the virus.
The police prosecutor told the court staff said they noticed up to 25 people come into the clinic specifically asking for the registered nurse.
“It will be alleged the syringe, with vaccine liquid still inside, was disposed of and a false entry was made on the medical records system indicating the teenager had received the dose of the vaccine,” police said in a statement.
“Further, it will be alleged the nurse recorded that another employee of the medical centre had administered the dose, and not her.”
A police investigation commenced after the medical centre reported the incident.
The 51-year-old was arrested at her home yesterday and has been charged with one count of Gains Benefit by Fraud. She was refused bail and is due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court later on Monday.
The police investigation is ongoing.
BOOSTER SHOT PROGRAM ‘OFF TO A FLYING START’
Vaccinated Australians across the country will be able to roll up their sleeves for the third time, as the rollout for the nation‘s booster program started on Monday.
People aged over 18 and have had their first two shots at least six months ago are eligible for a Pfizer booster dose.
More than 100,000 booster shots have already been administered in Australia, mostly to immunocompromised people.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said that the rollout was already “off to a flying start”, as the country hit the 80 per cent vaccination target on the weekend.
“It is available to all Australians who have now passed six months since their second dose. “But we are already at 73,000 people who have had their boosters. So we are off to a flying start,” Mr Hunt told Sky News.
“Everybody who is participating should do so and we have massive supply. We’re able to do over 300,000 a day and we’re now at almost 90 per cent first dose and over 80 per cent second.
“We’re well ahead of where we anticipated we would be before the formal commencement of the program.”
Previously, boosters were only available to people who are immunocompromised.
Mr Hunt said approximately 1.7 million Australians would be eligible before Christmas, and would be able to get their shot from pharmacies, GPs and commonwealth clinics.
The government will monitor uptake of booster vaccines in the early priority cohorts and is prepared to intervene if people aren’t booking appointments.
Those in the earlier rollout phases, such as aged care residents and disability care homes, will be targeted first and given the booster through in-reach teams visiting facilities.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved mix and matching vaccines, so people who received AstraZeneca or Moderna will receive a third shot of Pfizer.
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