Australia’s Quarantine Measures for Travelers

While the Australian government is planning to slightly increase caps on overseas arrivals, even travelers vaccinated against COVID-19 will have to undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense.

The country’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly has attributed this decision to what he describes as insufficient evidence regarding the vaccines’ ability to limit transmission of the virus. The vaccine rollout is anticipated to begin by the end of the month; currently, most non-citizens are barred from entering Australia, which significantly impacts the tourism sector.

Strict limits restrict the number of Australian residents returning each day, necessitating a mandatory quarantine period. This caution is justified; while the hotel quarantine system has been effective in curbing virus spread, isolated local cases have resulted from quarantine leaks.

In these cases, hotel staff contracted the virus, sometimes via airborne transmission, and consequently, it spread into the community. This scenario has triggered snap lockdowns in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Perth. The appearance of more virulent strains arriving has raised additional concerns. Victoria state premier, Dan Andrews, expressed that these highly infectious strains are particularly challenging to control.

The country’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, indicated that the government is considering expanding the capacity of an existing Outback quarantine camp, which should lower the risk of transmission into densely populated urban areas. Three remote locations have been identified as potential adaptations for such facilities. However, it is acknowledged that transporting travelers to these locations could also present risks. Increasing the frequency of testing for arrivals is additionally under review.