Australia will reopen its borders and end quarantine when 80% of the population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday.
In March 2020, Australia took an unprecedented step by almost completely closing its borders to foreign immigrants and banning its citizens from leaving the country.
About six million Australians are currently in quarantine, mainly in Sydney, which is experiencing a new wave of outbreaks.
The outbreak has affected nearly 3,000 people in Sydney and is spreading rapidly to the unvaccinated population, threatening Australia’s achievements in the fight against Covid-19.
Morrison said that when 70% of adults are vaccinated, vaccinated people will have more freedom from local restrictions.
Once 80% of adults have been vaccinated, vaccinated Australians will be able to travel safely abroad.
Borders will also be opened to vaccinated travelers from safe countries.
Australia has so far largely managed to avert a global pandemic under very strict conditions.
However, in Australia, vaccination is slow and only 14% of the population is fully vaccinated.
In total, only about 34,000 infections have been reported in Australia since the start of the pandemic and less than 1,000 deaths from Covid-19 have been reported.
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