Department of Health Secretary Brendan Murphy has spoken of the “great uncertainties” when it comes to COVID-19 and the vaccines as it is yet unknown whether Australians will require more vaccinations as the virus continues to mutate.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd has also spoken about the need to keep a closer eye on future variants of the virus to ensure herd immunity is reached and maintained.
“The results of the research and the clinical trials to date show both the Pfizer vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine…both appear to provide high levels of protection against the variants of concern which have appeared," Mr Kidd said.
“We are following this very, very closely, obviously as new variants appear, particularly new variants which are shown to be more transmissible and at risk of causing even greater numbers of people to be infected in an outbreak.”
It was hoped to have 4 million Australians vaccinated by March, however due to the rollout delay, t
Australians have been banned from leaving the country since March 2020
CEO of Flight Centre said international travel could be open for Aussies this year
NSW Premier is pushing for travel bubble with Pacific nations in next 12 months
Professor Brendan Murphy, however, said bans will continue throughout 2021
He said the vaccines may not stop the virus from spreading in the population
The government is considering allowing quarantine-free travel from Pacific islands, giving Aussies hope of an overseas holiday this year.
In October Scott Morrison allowed travel from New Zealand after the country eliminated Covid-19, but Australians are not yet allowed to go the other way.
On Thursday Health Minister Greg Hunt said medical experts are considering adding Pacific nations such as Fiji and Vanuatu to the list of green countries which can send flights to Australia without quarantine.
The government is considering allowing quarantine-free travel from Pacific islands such as Fiji, giving Aussies hope of an overseas holiday this year. Pictured: Mamanuca Islands
HEADLINES & GLOBAL NEWS
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Jan 18, 2021 08:32 AM EST
Australia would not fully reopen its borders even if most of its population became immunized this year as planned, a senior health official claims.
Australia would not fully reopen even if many had been vaccinated
(Photo : Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
Tennis Players And Officials Arrive In Melbourne Ahead Of 2021 Australian Open MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 14: Tennis players and their support teams are seen disembarking Flight EY460 carrying tennis players and their support teams participating at the Australian Open at Melbourne Jet Base adjoining the Melbourne International airport on January 14, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. All players and staff arriving in Melbourne for the Australian Open must complete 14 days of hotel quarantine and will be housed across three hotels; the Grand Hyatt, Pullman Albert Park and View Melbourne. Quarantining players will be able to leave their rooms for up to five hours a day, but on