A new community transmission COVID-19 outbreak in South Australia has prompted Australia’s states and territories to declare Adelaide a ‘hotspot’ and reintroduce border and quarantine restrictions for travellers who have been in South Australia/Adelaide.
Only NSW, the ACT and Victoria have opted, at this stage, to keep their borders open to South Australian arrivals, with some requirements in place.
Western Australia
Effective immediately: South Australians wishing to enter WA must meet a ‘strict exemption’ category that includes senior government officials, military and Commonwealth personnel, transport freight or logistics, or an authorised officer.
Exceptions on compassionate grounds will be considered.
Travellers from South Australia who arrived in Western Australia from 15 November 2020 are being been tested for COVID-19, either on arrival or within 24 hours of arrival, and must self-quarantine for 14 days and be tested again for COVID-19 on day 11 of their quarantine.
Tasmania
Effective today (17 November 2020): Anyone arriving in Tasmania from SA will be required to quarantine in a suitable residence or a government hotel. Given the late restriction announcement, the Tasmanian Government has agreed to cover the cost of hotel quarantine for those travellers who have already arrived in the past few days.
Anyone currently in Tasmania, who has been in South Australia since last Monday, has been asked to self-isolate.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein is expected to provide a further update today.
Northern Territory
Effective Immediately: The Northern Territory Chief Minister has declared South Australia as a hotspot and mandated all arrivals from South Australia to undergo supervised quarantine or choose to return immediately to South Australia. Arrivals from today will have to bear the cost of their own hotel quarantine.
Queensland
Effective 11:59pm AEST 16 November 2020: Adelaide is a declared COVID-19 hotspot and anyone who arrives in Queensland after that time will have to go into hotel quarantine.
Anyone currently in Queensland who has been in Adelaide since Monday last week, or who arrives in the Sunshine State before 11:59pm last night, is being asked to self-isolate and undergo testing, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not.
Victoria
Victoria has declared Adelaide a hotspot, however, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said the state will not be closing its borders to South Australia for now. Arrivals at Melbourne airport from South Australia can expect to be interviewed and may be required to undergo rapid testing.
NSW and ACT
NSW is not closing its borders to South Australia at this point in time. The ACT is not closing its borders to South Australia at this point in time.
New South Wales Health will screen all passengers arriving on flights and trains from South Australia from today.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, “Our health authorities are confident the South Australian Government is on top of it.”You can’t open and shut borders and change things overnight every time there’s an outbreak.”
IMAGE: southaustralia.com
