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[Editor's note on Nov 28 at 10:55am: This article's headline has been edited to reflect that all overseas travellers will need to isolate for at least three days, instead of being quarantined. However, quarantine continues to apply for selected type of arrivals.]
For travellers heading to Australia for a holiday soon, there's some bad news.
Following concerns over the new Covid-19 Omicron variant, New South Wales and Victoria announced on Nov. 27 that they will be imposing a 72-hour self-isolation requirement for all international arrivals, effective from Nov. 28, 2021.
New South Wales
According to a press release issued by the New South Wales Ministry of Health, the new 72-hour self-isolation requirement will take effect at midnight.
The NSW Government has taken precautionary steps in relation to quarantine arrangements for overseas arrivals following the introduction of additional national border security measures by the Australian Government.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 27, 2021
More information: https://t.co/3QmEXOc93C pic.twitter.com/wH2T3aK9v7
It said on its website: "From 12am on 28 November, all fully vaccinated travellers (including air crew) arriving in NSW who have been in any overseas country must get a Covid-19 PCR (nose and throat) test and self-isolate at their place of residence for at least 72 hours."
Premier Dominic Perrottet shared that the new measures would help "keep people safe" as the government worked through the latest development with Covid-19.
Victoria
All new vaccinated travellers and unvaccinated children under 12 arriving in Victoria will also be subject to a 72-hour mandatory quarantine arrangement at home, from 11:59pm on Nov. 27.
Unvaccinated arrivals will have to quarantine for 14 days.
All new vaccinated arrivals and unvaccinated children under 12, who arrive in Victoria from any other country must quarantine at home for 72 hours. Unvaccinated arrivals will have to quarantine for 14 days.
— Victorian Department of Health (@VicGovDH) November 27, 2021
Earlier today, Australia had already imposed new restrictions on people who have been to nine southern African countries, according to Reuters.
The nine countries are South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique – provinces that have been associated with the new Omicron variant.
Non-citizens who have been in these countries were banned from entering Australia effective immediately, while supervised 14-day quarantines for Australian citizens and their dependents returning from these countries is now required.
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