Fully vaccinated international travelers no longer need to isolate themselves after landing in South Australia and the COVID-19 border rules for domestic arrivals have been removed.
Prime Minister Steven Marshall announced major border changes on Friday as he confirmed 2,093 new infections from 25,943 tests and the deaths of two geriatric carers from the virus.
“This is in line with the very steep climbs we see across the country,” said Marshall.
There are 44 people in SA hospitals with the virus, four of whom are in intensive care, including one on a ventilator, but all are in stable condition.
Days after switching from PCR testing to rapid antigen testing for arriving travelers, the state has abandoned testing and approval requirements entirely with immediate effect.
Premier of South Australia Steven Marshall. Image credit: AAP
“It has not been a good use of our resources at the moment, and so the immigration requirement has been removed,” Marshall told reporters.
“The requirement for a rapid antigen test has been abolished, but we ask all people coming into SA from the highway to observe exactly the same situation that we ask of all SA, namely to monitor their symptoms and take action if they change develop “any symptoms.”
Even internationally double-vaccinated travelers no longer have to isolate themselves from Friday midnight on arrival.
Unvaccinated international travelers need to isolate themselves.
Scenes at Adelaide Airport when South Australia lifted travel bans on people from NSW, Victoria and the ACT in late November. Image credit: AAP
The government has also made the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for workers in hospitals, elderly care, elderly care homes and the residentially disabled.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced changes by the national cabinet to the definition of “close contact” as someone who has spent four hours or more on a positive case in a household or in an intimate setting.
Positive cases, regardless of vaccination status, can leave isolation seven days after their positive test.
But SA will continue with a 10-day quarantine period for cases and close contacts and will not follow the national definition, point out other circumstances such as lower case numbers, and instead classify a close contact as someone who lives or is familiar with a positive case.
The state also creates exceptional circumstances for vulnerable communities and elderly care facilities.
SA’s chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier caused confusion on Friday when she told local radio ABC that anyone who comes in contact with a positive case for more than 15 minutes will be classified as close contact.
When asked to clarify the rules, Mr. Marshall said, “The reality is that it is variable – if you have had dinner with someone who is symptomatic and is a positive case … I think the likelihood is high to get it. I would have a PCR test done.
“But just so you know that there are millions and millions of different variations on this exact matter and you cannot provide a matrix for every single result.”
SA provides financial support to companies affected by COVID-19 restrictions such as tourism, hospitality, fitness and CBD companies.
