For the first time in nearly two years, Australia's borders have fully reopened today, as Western Australia (WA) became the last state in the nation to lift its interstate and international travel restrictions.
The move comes four months after Sydney initiated its phased reopening, after having endured a harsh lockdown due to the spread of the Delta variant during the final months of 2021.
And, while most of the country reopened to vaccinated international travelers on February 21, Western Australia had (up to this point) retained its border barriers, shutting out interstate domestic visitors, as well as foreigners.
The massive state of Western Australia-which covers the entire western third of the country/continent-sealed itself off from both out-of-state domestic and international travelers on April 5, 2020, based on CNN reports.
But, as of Thursday, Western Australia is now welcoming visitors under the provisions of the government's Safe Transition Plan, so travelers will need to meet a certain set of requirements established by the Australian government.
Would-be visitors to Western Australia must:
- Provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination.
- Present a negative PCR test taken within three days of your flight's scheduled departure or a negative antigen test taken under medical supervision with 24 hours of the same.
- Complete the Digital Passenger Declaration, as early as seven days and up to 72 hours before departure.
- Register for a valid G2G Pass.
- Take a rapid antigen test taken within 12 hours of arrival and register any positive result.
Per the state government's website, international visitors who are entering by way of other Australian states or territories are subject to interstate arrival rules, one of which mandates that they have received a booster injection, if eligible for one.
Throughout the pandemic, Australia has maintained some of the world's most stringent travel restrictions in efforts to keep COVID-19 and its various strains from infiltrating its borders.
As the first of 22 domestic and five international flights touched down on Thursday, passengers arriving at Perth Airport were welcomed by awaiting friends and family with emotional embraces and welcome-home messages.
"Australia is now finally back together," Qantas Airways chief executive Alan Joyce told AP News. "This day has been a long time coming."
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