Australia to ease border limits and allow more citizens home

Australia said on Friday it would increase the number of citizens allowed to return home each week to 6,000 as it manages to get new COVID-19 infections under control.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the cap on the number of people allowed into Australia each week would increase by 2,000 by mid October after a National Cabinet meeting where states agreed to boost quarantine capacity.

The country’s weekly limit is currently set at 4,000 people.

Morrison said there were an estimated 24,000 stranded Australians wanting to return home which the government has pledged to facilitate before Christmas.

“With the success we have had as a country in recent months, we can start opening up again and we can start helping Australians getting home again,” Morrison told a press briefing.

Australia is also looking to ease quarantine restrictions for returned travellers from New Zealand which has effectively stamped out the virus, and who account for 15% of returns, to free up hotels for other travellers, Morrison said.

Australia closed its international borders early in the pandemic, and imposed strict lockdowns and social distancing measures, dramatically reducing the spread of the virus. It currently has a mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine for all international arrivals.

Australia has reported more than 26,800 coronavirus cases and 829 deaths, well below the infection and death rates of other developed countries.