Northern Territory border road map: Fully vaccinated travellers welcomed into home quarantine
Thousands of Aussies have landed in the Northern Territory as restrictions ease – with the government promising to ease another annoying Covid rule in weeks.
Thousands of fully vaccinated Australians have landed in the Northern Territory as the region eases its border restrictions – with the government promising to drop another painful coronavirus rule in a matter of weeks.
On Friday, the Northern Territory government announced an end to hotel quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers from across Australia.
The changes, which allow fully vaccinated Aussies from red or green zones to quarantine at home for seven days, came into effect yesterday, with 16 planes landing at Darwin Airport on Monday.
It comes as the NT recorded two new cases of coronavirus yesterday – a man and a woman, both from Katherine.
Unvaccinated travellers from any and all parts of Australia are banned from entering the NT.
The only exemptions for unvaccinated arrivals from green zones are for returning Territorians, limited essential personnel and some compassionate grounds.
The Northern Territory completed a successful trial of a home quarantine program earlier this month, giving the government the confidence it needed to roll out home quarantine to all arrivals.
Rapid antigen tests have also been rolled out across all of the NT’s airports and regional centres.
The tests will be used for fully vaccinated travellers returning from red zones, such as Victoria and NSW.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he hoped to see home quarantine end for fully vaccinated arrivals just before Christmas – on December 20.
However, rapid antigen testing for fully vaccinated arrivals would remain.
“We have kept the Territory safe. And now we are continuing to keep the Territory safe – while also getting the Territory open in time for Christmas,” he said.
“The ability to now rapidly test people on arrival in the Territory is a game-changer.
“It gives us an extra layer of protection, and gives us the confidence to start moving away from home quarantine.
“I want to thank every Territorian for helping us get to this point. We have been the safest and the best in the world.”
To be eligible for week-long home quarantine in the Northern Territory travellers must:
– Be fully vaccinated against coronavirus, with two doses of a coronavirus vaccine
– Have returned a negative Covid PCR test within 72 hours of their arrival to the Territory
– Take a rapid antigen test on arrival at the airport, or at the first regional centre if travelling by road
– Complete seven days of home quarantine in a high vaccination zone (Katherine and some remote communities are excluded from this – due to their low vaccination rates)
– Get tested on their fifth day of quarantine and then get tested again on days eight and 14 after exiting quarantine
– Stay in the high vaccination zone in the week after exiting quarantine, but stay away from high-risk areas such as aged care, health care (except as needed) and correctional facilities
– Download and use the NT’s Go to Go app
– Returning travellers can stay with other fully vaccinated members of their household however, it is only the returned traveller who needs to be tested regularly. The hosts can continue to work and go about their lives.
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