Quarantining at home instead of in a hotel might be possible for Aussies traveling overseas, as long as they are vaccinated against COVID-19.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he’s working on a plan where vaccinated Australians would be able to travel overseas and return.
It would mean that Australians returning from overseas wouldn’t need to do “hotel quarantine for 14 days” and could do it “at home” or “under some less stringent environment than you have with hotel quarantine.”
“Now that would require being vaccinated and I think that would be an important incentive for people to do that,” Morrison said.
At the moment, it costs around $3000 to be placed in hotel quarantine. That’s A LOT of money to pay on top of your general holiday expenses. At home quarantine is a great option because it will eliminate that added expense.
However, Morrison has warned that the vaccine rollout isn’t a “silver bullet” just yet (ya don’t bloody say), and rushing to open our borders could result in many more COVID-19 cases.
“If we were to lift the borders and people to come, then you would see those cases increase and Australians would have to become used to dealing with 1,000 cases a week or more,” Morrison told Perth radio station 6PR yesterday afternoon.
“Now, it is true that our most vulnerable populations would be vaccinated, but I don’t think Australians … would welcome restrictions and closures and border shutting and all of those things again.”
But in the mean time, Aussies will be able to New Zealand with the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble next week. Even better, you won’t need to quarantine.
However, traveling to our neighbours won’t be like it was pre-pandemic. If an outbreak were to occur, travel plans may have to be cancelled at the very last minute.
“While we absolutely wish to encourage family and friends to reunite and visitors to come and enjoy the hospitality New Zealand is ready and waiting to offer, those undertaking travel on either side of the ditch will do so you were the guidance of flyer beware,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a press conference last Tuesday.
“People will need to plan for the possibility of travel being disrupted if there is an outbreak.”
Still, it looks like travel may really be on the cards this time and I can *finally* find myself overseas.
