Australia on Monday halted plans to reopen its international borders to skilled workers and students amid concerns over the impact of the Covid-19 Omicron variant. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said reopening would not take place on December 1 as planned, calling the delay “a necessary and temporary decision,” news agency AFP reported.
According to reports, the federal government has delayed opening the Australian border for international students and other eligible visa holders until December 15.
The National Security Committee of cabinet decided to defer the plan to ease restrictions following medical advice from the Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly.
Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had announced that starting December 1, vaccinated students, skilled workers, and travellers on working vacations will be allowed to land at Sydney and Melbourne airports without quarantining.
“I understand many people may be concerned about the news of the new COVID variant, Omicron. What’s important is we stay calm, continue to be COVID safe, get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so and get your booster shot if you’re due. The current evidence does not suggest it is a more severe form of the virus, and we are well prepared with 86.7% of Australians aged over 16 fully vaccinated. We need to learn to live with this virus, and there have been 13 different variants of COVID identified since this pandemic began. All governments across the country are working together and getting the best medical advice, and we will continue to do what is required to keep Australians safe,” Morrison posted on his Facebook page.
So far, three cases of Omicron have been reported in Australia. A South African man who flew from Johannesburg to the northern Australian city of Darwin last Thursday tested positive for the new variant at Australia’s most secure quarantine facility at Howard Springs, Northern Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles said.
On Sunday, New South Wales state authorities reported that two travellers from South Africa to Sydney had become Australia’s first omicron cases. Both were fully vaccinated, showed no symptoms and were in quarantine in Sydney.
