Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday, 7 February, that the country will reopen its borders to fully vaccinated tourists from 21 February.
Having one of the world's strictest and longest-running travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia shut its borders in March 2020.
"It's almost two years since we took the decision to close the borders to Australia. If you are double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia," Morrison said after a national security cabinet meeting, as quoted in an AFP report.
Very few visitors had been granted exemptions to enter the country since the lockdown started.
The usually vibrant large tourist industry got battered by the lockdown, causing protests and debates about the government's COVID-19 response.
Talking about the prospective decision to reopen the country's borders, Morrison had told reporters on Sunday, that "the key issue that we have been examining and I have asked for advice from our health officials now over recent weeks, is how that decision could impact on our hospitals, which has been our primary consideration," as quoted in The Guardian.
“But I really do not believe that is far away. As people will know, we have already opened up our borders to skilled migrants and backpackers and students," he had added.
Australia recorded 45 COVID deaths on Sunday.
(With inputs from The Guardian and AFP)
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