NSW Premier announces end of quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced that, beginning next month, the state's border will be open to fully vaccinated Australian residents who will not be required to quarantine in hotels or at home.

In addition, once the majority of Australian residents living abroad have returned home, fully vaccinated overseas tourists will be welcomed.

Advising that when the new laws take effect on 1st November, Premier Perrottet said that the dramatic policy shift will see people from NSW “travelling to Bali before Broome".

The policy change will require visitors from other countries will have to produce proof of receiving a TGA-approved vaccine and submit for a COVID-19 PCR test before boarding a plane to Sydney.

In a statement, Premier Perrottet advised “on November 1, Sydney and New South Wales will be opened to the rest of the globe. To ensure people's safety when we re-join the rest of the world, [we] will work closely with the Commonwealth to put safeguards in place.”

The requirement to quarantine at hotels at people's own expense for 14 days has been in effect in all states and territories since March 2020.

While former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian launched a trial of home quarantine for eligible international immigrants just a few weeks ago, Premier Perrottet has moved quickly to implement it.

Those who have not received all of their recommended vaccinations will be quarantined in a hotel, but there will only be 210 spots available each week.

To give airlines time to add new flights to New South Wales, NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said the 1st November deadline was chosen.

Greater Sydney residents had also been promised 80% regional travel, but the government has now put it back to 1st November.

Mayors from outlying districts have expressed concern about the spread of disease due to differential vaccination rates.

According to NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole, only 36% of NSW regional LGAs have an 80% coverage rate for the two vaccines.

Only 47.1% of individuals eligible for a vaccine have received two doses in the Byron Bay Local Government Area (LGA).

A low vaccination rate of 58.4% is seen in Cessnock in the Hunter region, as well as in Clarence Valley, a town in the state's northernmost district.

Joe Cusmano