SA’s borders will open to NSW residents from midnight Wednesday

It’s official. South Australia will open its borders to NSW from midnight Wednesday but is subject to NSW not recording any community transmission before that.

South Australia has announced it will officially open its borders to NSW as of midnight on Wednesday.

Following the state’s Transition Committee meeting on Tuesday, Premier Steven Marshall said the decision was subject to no community transmission being recorded up until midnight Tuesday.

It comes as Queensland also announced it would open its borders to five additional New South Wales Shires from next weekend.

“They (the committee) were furnished with all necessary information from NSW with regards to what had occurred over the weekend,” Mr Marshall said.

South Australia will open its borders to NSW as of midnight tomorrow. Picture: Tait Schmaal

“Our borders have been the front line of our defence and have served us well. They enabled us to open up our economy and get tens of thousands of people back to work but because of the reduced risk in NSW, it’s time for us to open up our borders.

“This will be massive relief for people dislocated from family, friends and business opportunities. We know this has been a massive burden on the business community, families and individuals but we did this to keep people safe.”

He said people who come in before the official opening still needed to complete the 14-days of isolating here in SA.

Premier Steven Marshall said he did not want the borders closed “for one day longer” than necessary. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

On Monday, Mr Marshall said he had some concerns surrounding a case involving a Western Sydney taxi driver who worked more than a week while infectious with COVID-19.

However, he said SA Health’s chief public medical officer Nicola Spurrier worked closely with NSW Health to gather information about the case.

“This information from NSW is of the highest quality. We assessed the risk associated with the taxi driver and the response NSW Health has put in place and we’re satisfied the risk that can be managed,” he said on Tuesday.

Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade, Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens watch on as Premier Steven Marshall speaks at a press conference at the State Admin Building in Adelaide. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

SA Health’s Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said while there was always going to be some risk involved with the virus, the community couldn't “wrap ourselves in cotton wool forever”.

“In terms of the risk, my advice was that we needed the two week period of no community transmission and that means when there is a case, there is no source found,” she said.

“I’m confident — because I’ve spent a lot of time with colleagues in NSW and getting a lot of detailed information — that their last case of community transmission was September 8 which means today is the fourteenth day so I’m still mindful we need to wait until midnight tonight.

“Clearly, NSW was doing well in July and unfortunately there was some seeding events from Victoria and we know that because experts in NSW do genomic testing and look at the genetic makeup of the cases in their state.”

Professor Spurrier suggested those looking to travel to NSW to wear masks on planes.

Professor Spurrier advised South Australians looking to travel to NSW to keep an eye on NSW Health website daily.

“I’d also strongly recommend that when you're offered masks to wear on the aeroplane that you wear them for the entirety of the flight and to take your own with you because if you take them off, perhaps to eat, you should be putting a clean mask on again,” she said.

“It's also easy to get tested for COVID in NSW so if you do start to get symptoms, don’t just think ‘you’ll get tested when you get back’. Get tested in NSW. Do the right thing while you're in that state and respect the rules and regulations of that state as you would in SA.”

As of Thursday, all jurisdictions can enter SA without quarantining, except for Victoria.

Until then, residents coming from NSW need to self-isolate for two weeks while only essential travellers with pre-approved applications can enter from Victoria.

As of Thursday, Victoria will be the only jurisdiction closed to SA. PIC : Tait Schmaal.

Business Council of Australia’s chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the state government’s ‘common-sense decision’ gave people and businesses the ability to get on with their lives.

“It is good to see South Australia and NSW learning from our experience managing this virus throughout the pandemic, putting in place the systems to manage it locally, keep people safe and get their economies open again,” she said.

“The economy doesn’t stop at state borders. Every artificial barrier to doing business hurts people and puts jobs at risk.

“If New South Wales and South Australia can get the systems in place that manage the virus, keep people safe and open their borders up then there is no reason other states can’t do the same.”

“We continue to urge all state and territory leaders to take a common sense approach, manage outbreaks locally, open the country back up and adopt a nationally consistent scheme to manage border closures only as a last resort.”

South Australia recorded no new infections on Tuesday, with the state total number of cases remaining at 466.

There are currently no active cases of COVID-19 in SA.