Australia may open borders to Asia as it records third day without local COVID-19 case
10 November, 2020
Australia is considering opening its borders to Parts of asia, including elements of China, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday, as Canberra seeks to regenerate an economy ravaged by COVID-19.
Australia in March shut its borders to all or any non-citizens and permanent residents, though in October Canberra allowed New Zealand residents to enter. Internal travel is bound, although those restrictions are scheduled to be removed by the finish of the year.
Morrison eliminated entry from america or Europe, but said Australia may allow people from low-risk countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and even provinces in China.
"We ... are considering what alternative arrangements could be hard to channel visitors through appropriate quarantine arrangements for low-risk countries," Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
China was among the first countries from which Australia restricted entry.
The consideration of easing travel curbs comes as Morrison said Australia has gone three days with no locally acquired cases of COVID-19.
All cases have already been detected in quarantined locals who've recently returned from overseas.
Reviving tourism will be a much-needed boost to Australia's economy, which shrank 7% in the 90 days that ended in June, the most since records started out in 1959.
Tourism in 2019 accounted for 3.1% of the country's gross domestic product, contributing almost A$61 billion ($44.4 billion) to the economy, government data shows.
Although some Australians are taking holidays locally, many tourism operators are struggling and also have been forced to shed staff.
Unemployment ticked up to 6.9% in September, official data showed.
Morrison said Australia would extend higher unemployment benefits before end of March, though at a lower rate.
Currently those unemployed receive A$815 every two weeks, but this will fall to A$715 towards the end of December.
Source: japantoday.com
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