EPA
Virgin Australia
The day before the announcement of the Federal budget for the next economic year, Federal Treasurer Josh Freidenberg revealed something that few in Australia will like.
International borders will remain closed until the end of this year, and it is estimated that normal foreign passenger traffic will be established during 2022.
So, if you have planned and hoped that you will be able to visit family and friends in the homeland, you will have to forget about that possibility for at least another seven months, if not longer. And much longer.
Namely, Freidenberg also said that the plan to open the borders next year is subject to change and that everything will depend on the recommendations of health officials and the development of the situation with the kovida-19 pandemic in the world.
– When planning the budget, we predicted that there would be no immigration by the end of 2021 and that the borders would not be opened until next year – Freidenberg said for SBS. – We must follow the health recommendations that have helped us to protect the population of Australia so far. These recommendations enabled us to keep the virus and to start a strong economic recovery with a good health situation. That is why it is vital that we continue to listen to health advice on the issue of state borders.
Freidenberg’s announcement was confirmed by Federal Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham. Morrison denied allegations by some media outlets that published his alleged words “that the borders will remain closed indefinitely” and “that Australia will not abandon the strategy of eliminating the virus.”
“The goal has never been to strive for elimination and reach zero cases. There will always be new cases abroad. “International borders will therefore be open only when it is safe to do so,” Morrison wrote on his Facebook profile.
The Prime Minister added that we have a long way to go and that we are still facing many uncertainties along the way.
“Today, people in Australia live like few other countries in the world. “We will do everything in our power to preserve that and, working together, not to allow the outbreak of the third wave, as well as to implement a vaccination program,” Morrison stated.
His words were commented by the representative of the opposition for health issues, Mark Butler. He pointed out that with a vaccination rate of 350,000 doses given per week, Australia will not be able to vaccinate the entire adult population before 2023.
– Only three weeks ago, Scott Morrison said that we could start international travel and home quarantine in July this year upon returning to the country. And today he says that Australia will remain locked forever – Butler said.
Freidenberg, the state treasurer, was asked by journalists whether the closed borders were in fact the main reason for the strong recovery of the economy, since many domestic travelers are not available to go abroad, but spend money at home. Freidenberg categorically rejected such allegations and said:
– It is just a pandemic effect and it is not permanent.
It should be added that in addition to the fact that it is not permanent, the end of this pandemic effect is not known for now. One thing is for sure – there is nothing from traveling this year.
Bad news for Quantas
The news of Australia’s continued isolation from the world will particularly affect airlines, especially Kvantas, who relied on the assessment that the borders will open in the second half of this year and that normal international traffic will be established.
Now, they, as well as the entire tourist industry, will be in a position to rely exclusively on domestic tourism for an even longer time. The question is how long Kvantas, who has already fired or sent thousands of his unpaid workers, will be able to endure in such circumstances.
Vaccination in Olympic Park
New South Wales opened the first center for mass immunization against kovids last Monday, which is located in the Olympic Park in the Sydney suburb of Homebush. It is planned that 30,000 doses per week will be given in this center, and the first to come are citizens who belong to priority groups 1a and 1b, and have not been vaccinated so far.
As of today, everyone over the age of 50 is able to register for vaccination with their general practitioners, and they will be able to receive Zenek’s vaccine from May 24. Also, the process of registration of persons between 40 and 50 years of age, who will receive Pfizer vaccines, begins.
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