Sky girls, flight gays and first-class theys, this is your last call to board your flight. We soon will no longer need overseas travel exemptions to leave this sun-soaked country, and I’m crying. International travel is back on the cards, folks, dust off those passports.
Now, we all know that international travel was going to return on November 1, but Scott Morrison has confirmed that the pot has indeed been sweetened, with the removal of the need for travel exemptions.
The rules were officially tinkered on Tuesday night by Health Minister Greg Hunt, making it so that we no longer need a valid excuse to hop on a plane and get our healthy dose of international travel. Those of us who aren’t fully vaccinated, however, will have to wait until December 1 to avoid the need for an exemption.
“Australian citizens and permanent residents who want to travel overseas will need to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated with a [Therapeutic Goods Administration]-approved or recognised vaccine, with the second dose occurring at least seven days prior to travel,” he said.
“These changes will also facilitate travel by children under 12 years of age.”
BREAKING: Vaccinated Australians will no longer require an exemption or need to apply to Home Affairs to leave the country. Greg Hunt last night signed off unrestricted outbound travel from November 1. @9NewsAUS @BenFordhamLive
— Chris O’Keefe (@cokeefe9) October 26, 2021
This change comes at the same time that the Pfizer booster shot has been approved by the TGA, which means very soon we could be talking to hot men in Florence, on a yacht, with three shots of the vaccine in us, like mother nature intended.
On top of this, current travel caps will be rolled back as well, at some point, with the PM saying earlier this month: “We will move to a phase where there will be caps lifted if you’re vaccinated. [Flight caps and quarantine] will remain for non-vaccinated and there will be the managed quarantine process for the 14 days.”
The ABC reports that COVID-19 testing will be a part of international travel, alongside the use of rapid antigen testing.
So how will it actually work? Well, as we’ve come to know over the past 18+ months, QR codes are our best mates.
The PM says there will be a globally recognisable code that vaccinated Aussies will use for international travel.
“Australians who want to travel overseas once restrictions are removed will be able to access an internationally recognised proof of vaccination document… to prove their vaccination status abroad,” he said.
Well, now I gotta go see if my passport is even valid anymore.
