One question that is asked every week is, “when are the borders going to open up.” While we cannot advise on an opening date, we can share the latest updates on Vanuatu’s and Australia’s reopening plans. The latest being the Australian government’s Four Phase Plan.
After months of radio silence, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison finally announced his four-point plan to get the country living with Covid-19. His ultimate goal with this new “pathway” to end the lockdowns, do away with domestic restrictions for vaccinated travellers, and put up an unlimited cap on vaccinated international travellers.
Australian government four-phase plan
Morrison shared that the federal government, along with the states and the territories, agree to the course of action detailed in this four-phase plan to achieve these goals.
Phase one: Vaccinate, Prepare and Pilot
The first phase mainly concentrates on vaccination of the general public. During this phase, the government plans to reduce the cap on international arrivals and quarantine periods for vaccinated travelers by half until at least the end of the year. They hope to take the strain off of hotels and reduce the risk of transmission of the Delta variant. In line with this, South Australia volunteers to test send their vaccinated international travellers to home-quarantine for seven days instead of 14.
Phase two: Post-Vaccination
At this point, international arrival caps are projected to return back to where they were previously. Accompanying that, would be a secondary larger cap for vaccinated travellers.
Lockdowns would only happen in extreme circumstances and vaccinated citizens would have fewer restrictions under the lockdown rules projected under this phase.
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Phase three: Consolidation
For the third phase, Australia will be entering the same state that a lot of other countries are already in: treating Covid-19 as just another infectious disease, much like the common flu.
During the third phase, there would be no cap on returning vaccinated travellers, no lockdowns and no domestic restrictions for vaccinated Australians. It’s at this phase that the government thinks of the possibilities for more travel bubbles with other countries.
Phase four: Back to Pre-Pandemic Normal
This phase sees us in an almost complete recovery state. The Australian government envisions the time as returning back to pre-pandemic state, but with a few changes. Among these changes include some rules regarding Covid-testing before entering and upon arrival in Australia.
No dates were set for each phase, but Morrison believes that it will all depend on vaccination targets that are currently fluctuating weekly.
“This pathway we have agreed today gives all Australians encouragement and much needed hope in what has been a very difficult time.”
– Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, July 2, 2021
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Vanuatu amid Australia’s four phase pathway
Australia and Vanuatu have been sharing a strong and enduring bilateral relationship since 1978. As Australia reopens tourism with this new four-stage plan, a travel bubble between the two countries is expected to be put in place, sometime between stages two and three of the plan.
Vanuatu has only ever had three (3) active COVID-19 cases on record since the pandemic started. These have all been in quarantine. Although Vanuatu has been on Scenario 1 (no confirmed Covid cases) for a long time now, the government remains on high alert since they believe the situation could always change. To avoid incidence of Covid transmission, the Vanuatu government has started with their roll out of the vaccines throughout Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila. The population are currently being actively vaccinated. There are also plans for the vaccination of the rest of Vanuatu using one of P&O cruise ships to speed up the vaccine rollouts. Ironically it seems Vanuatu may be well on its way to vaccinating its population before Australia. There has even been talk of opening its borders to vaccinated travellers relatively soon.
This tiny Pacific Island could be welcoming international travellers back to its shores sooner than originally expected. While Australia is playing catch up this could mean vaccinated US, European and Asian travellers could be enjoying this piece of paradise before Aussies and Kiwis.
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The final say
Morrison did not state any target or deadline for this new plan, but as the vaccination rollout speeds up, let’s hope we are back to some sort of normal much sooner that we originally anticipated. The reality is, Australia is playing catch up. Most OECD nations are way ahead of Australia with their vaccine roll-outs. Australia, unfortunately has become a victim of its own success with its suppression of the virus and lack of urgency in vaccinating its population.
One thing seems certain, the world is opening up and governments are coming to terms with the fact we need to live with Covid. To move out of Covid lockdowns, restrictions and to get back to some sort of normality, the majority of Australians will need to be vaccinated.
