Australia may open borders to Asia since it records third day without local COVID-19 case
10 November, 2020
Australia is considering opening its borders to Parts of asia, including parts of China, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday (Nov 10), as Canberra seeks to regenerate an economy ravaged by COVID-19.
Australia in March shut its borders to all or any non-citizens and everlasting residents, though in October, Canberra allowed New Zealand residents to enter. Internal travel is limited, although those restrictions are scheduled to be removed by the end of the year.
Morrison eliminated entry from america or Europe, but said Australia may allow persons from low-risk places such as Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and even provinces in China.
"We ... are considering what alternative arrangements could possibly be had to channel visitors through appropriate quarantine arrangements for low-risk countries," Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
China was among the first countries that Australia restricted entry.
The consideration of easing travel curbs comes as Morrison said Australia has truly 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 would be a much-needed boost to Australia's economy, which shrank 7 per cent in the 90 days that ended in June, the most since records started in 1959.
Tourism in 2019 accounted for 3.1 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, contributing almost A$61 billion (US$44.42 billion) to the economy, government data shows.
Although many 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 reduced rate.
Currently those unemployed receive A$815 every fourteen days, but this will fall to A$715 at the end of December.
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