Australian govt says international travel may resume in 2021 amid COVID-19 scare

As nearly 6,398 people have been infected with coronavirus in Australia, the government has reportedly revealed that international travel may not resume this year. While speaking to an international media outlet, Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said he doesn’t guarantee that people can undertake overseas trip until December. He reportedly said that due to unprecedented coronavirus outbreak people ‘can’t undertake’ holiday and won’t be able to go overseas for some time to come. 

With borders being shut, the minister said that once the restrictions ease, Australians should first consider taking domestic travel and visit the nation’s best-kept secrets. Birmingham said that it is feasible for people to think about domestic travel again as authorities are not certain yet if this is a good time for planning an international trip, at least not until the world gets to the other side of the pandemic. However, he added that it is ‘virtually impossible’ to predict anything right now. 

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In a bid to contain the deadly virus from spreading, Australian authorities have banned domestic and international flights. The government has been taking various measures to overcome the coronavirus outbreak. COVID-19 has claimed more than 60 lives in the country and it also has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 300,000 tests completed.

Restrictions to viewed regularly 

Reiterating the importance of social distancing, the Australian Prime Minister said that the cabinet noted Australia was now in the suppression phase of the response. He added that restrictions will be reviewed regularly and planning for the medium to long-term has begun. Scott Morrison also said that country’s healthcare system is capable of handling the coronavirus pandemic as per the current trajectory. 

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Furthermore, the country also resolved to pump AUS $105 billion to fuel Canberra's stagnant economy as the nation slowly poised into a global recession after 29 years of economic growth. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg reportedly predicted that the latest AUS $66 billion announced by Morrison will fetch the government and central bank measures to support the economy to at least 10 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), close to AUS $189 billion.

The extraordinary times require extraordinary measures as the world faces a challenge like never seen before, he was quoted saying in a news conference. Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan was reported saying that Rottnest Island, which is a popular tourist destination and former Aboriginal prison site, could be designed into a quarantine zone for the Australians that were reluctant to self-isolate. 

(Image source: Representative/ Unsplash) 

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