After one and a half years of border closure, Australia has announced the reopening of its borders to international travel. The country is reconnecting with the world as vaccination rates keep increasing.
According to the reports, there were tears of joy on Monday, November 1 across the country as people reunite with families and friends after a long period of travel restrictions that separated them.
The reports also have it that Australians are now being allowed to travel overseas without COVID-19 strict rules for the first time in almost two years. Before now, travelers from Australia needed approval from the government before they can travel out of the country in order to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Australians can now travel freely overseas without requesting official permission from the government and returning travelers flying home will no longer face mandatory hotel quarantine but must show proof of double dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
Thousands of Australians have been stranded overseas during the pandemic by some of the world’s toughest border controls. Authorities placed limits on the number of travelers allowed back as a result of constraints on the quarantine system.
Chief executive, Melbourne Airport, Lyell Strambi, says "pandemic border closures have been hard on staff. We have not really stopped flying, so we have been able to keep things working and making sure that everything is in great shape."
“But the stop-start nature of the whole episode we have been through has been really tough. In particular for the employees of the airport. We would normally have 20,000 people working at the airport. I think a few times there we were down to as low as 500 people. So, it has been really hard on those individuals in particular.” He says.
Strambi noted that "Melbourne airport has also been preparing for the resumption of large-scale passenger numbers. Though it is unclear when other foreign nationals, who have been banned since March 2020, will be permitted to come in."
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