Australia needs 80% of adults vaccinated before reopening, says PM

GBNews24 Desk//

Australia will have to vaccinate 80% of its adults against Covid-19 before it can consider reopening its border, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Morrison announced a four-stage plan to greater freedom in Australia, which is currently in phase A, also known as the suppression phase, with large parts of the country plunging in and out of lockdowns to stamp out the coronavirus.

Australia had handled the coronavirus crisis much better than many other developed countries, with just over 34,000 cases and fewer than 1,000 deaths, but that has been achieved largely by sealing its border to all but a trickle of people since the pandemic began.

Mr Morrison said the border would be gradually reopened in phase C of the plan, when 80% of adults have been vaccinated. About 18% of adults have been vaccinated already, under a campaign that got off to a slow start.

“We will lift all restrictions on out-bound travel for vaccinated Australians,” Mr Morrison told a news conference, referring to phase C.

“There will be a gradual reopening of inward and out-bound international travel with safe countries,” he said.