Australia lifts lockdown, so what does this mean for the international visitor?
Good news, recently Australia just lifts lockdown.
So does this mean that you are finally able to visit Australia just like before?
After undergoing lockdown for two months, Australia now has been reported to be lifting lockdown and is now ready to get the economy going again.
These changes came as COVID-19 infection case is lowering down in some states. Reports say that Western Australia has no new virus infections on Sunday, leaving the state with 552 and only seven active cases. As for New South Wales, the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced that this wide-scale easing of COVID-19 movement restrictions is coming as the threat recedes within the states.
People are finally able to step out of the house and have fun again. Doesn’t that sound like a ‘Yeay’?
Yes. People are now getting their lives back. They are now allowed to leave their homes for recreation under a planned easing of the regulations. Schools are back to open, people are back to work, and businesses are reopening starting from May 15.
The lifted restriction, however, is different for every state. In Victoria, for example, having social guests and learning how to drive are still restricted as they are not essential activities, yet in other states, those activities are allowed.
Currently, leaving home and doing exercise together with at least one person are allowed in all states. People can also visit their loved ones and meet their friends in public or even have coffee along with them.
Go ahead, make a plan!
The lockdown, however, is not fully lifted, and some restrictions still put in places. Social distancing needs still be enacted as we do not want to be too overwhelmed yet to make the case going back up. There are still limits on how far people can travel or exercise. The maximum number of people you can meet indoor or outdoors is also limited.
People in Australia are now allowed to travel, in most states, as far as 150 KM away from their homes, yet lockdown between countries is still enforced. This is a positive sign for Australia knowing that this pandemic has been gradually handled well.
As for now, Australian citizen, immediate family members of nationals, permanent residents and their immediate family members, airline crew and diplomats entering Australia from overseas will be provided a hotel room to spend two weeks in a mandatory government quarantine, and they can travel domestically and travel home. This is also applied for the people who do not normally live in the quarantine place or plan to visit other places.
So what about the general travellers when the new normal is applied? Is the new normal even possible?
The answer is, yes. It is possible.
Even though we still cannot imagine what the new normal is going to look like and international travel is still not allowed yet, we may hopefully expect for the best news soon.
It may seem that all people entering Australia have to enact physical distancing, cough etiquette, and also hand hygiene. Isolation may also still apply.
Besides that, during the International flights, some procedures may also apply, such as social distancing, limited aircraft capacity, and biosecurity officers reporting when an infectious disease situation occurs.
But after all, the new normal is coming. So, we can always make a plan, can we?
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