Border restrictions rolled back with Victoria

Victorians will once again be able to enter Tasmania without quarantine after Premier Peter Gutwein eased border restricitons and detailed the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

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VICTORIANS will once again be able to enter Tasmania without quarantine from 12.01 Saturday morning.

Tasmania closed its borders to Victoria last week after an outbreak, stemming from Melbourne Airport’s Holiday Inn.

Twenty-two people have been infected so far, after a returned Australian allegedly used a nebuliser, an aerosol asthma device banned in hotel quarantine, caused the virus to spread throughout the whole floor.

The Holiday Inn at Tullamarine Airport which was being used as a COVID quarantine hotel, is being closed down and evacuated on February 10. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

“I’m pleased that because of the fast action that was taken in Victoria because of their cases and contact tracing … the situation has been kept in check,” Mr Gutwein said.

Victoria lifted its state-wide lockdown on Wednesday, however restrictions still remain in place. Tasmania will ease its border restrictions from 12.01am Saturday morning.

“Victoria will move to a low-risk area again,” Mr Gutwein said.

“People will be able to travel back and forth without quarantine, excepting if they have been to a high-risk venue … people who have been in Victoria for 14 days previous will not be required to quarantine.”

There are still high-risk areas, which include a slew of retail and food outlets, and public transport in the city’s west, north and centre.

Brunetti at Melbourne's T4 Airport terminal. Aaron Francis/The Australian

Mr Gutwein said Melbourne Airport’s high-risk definition has also been downgraded to just Brunetti cafe, between 4.45am and 2pm on February 9.

“Anyone else who spent time in Terminal 4 more broadly on February 9 and no longer meets the reduced high-risk parameters at this time, will no longer need to quarantine from 12.01am midnight tonight, subject to having had a negative COVID test,” he said.

Travel restrictions remain in place for New Zealand.

More to come...

Originally published as Border restrictions rolled back with Victoria