Prime Minister Scott Morrison imposed travel restrictions to reduce the number of people entering the country to 3,000 and urged Australian citizens to be vaccinated against the Delta variant of the coronavirus
Australia plans to halve commercial passenger arrivals due to virus risks as parts of the country emerged from lockdowns Friday.
Australia will reduce its cap on arrivals from 6,000 passengers a week to 3,000 by July 14 to reduce pressure on hotel quarantine, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said after a meeting with state and territory leaders.
Australia already has some of the world’s tightest border restrictions aimed at keeping Covid-19 out of the country. The new restrictions add to obstacles faced by 34,000 Australian citizens and permanent residents stranded overseas and registered with the government as wanting to come home.
The government will charter more airliners to repatriate Australians, but the reduced limit on commercial passenger arrivals could continue until next year.
“If medical advice changes between now and then, if medical advice suggests that we can alter that, then, of course, the National Cabinet has always been receptive to that advice and we’ll continue to monitor that,” Morrison told reporters, referring to his decision-making meetings with the state and territory leaders.
