Earlier last week, Australia announced some relaxation in the strict border control measures it has been operating under since the beginning of the pandemic. These measures bound both, those living in Australia and those looking to return to their home country. Tourists aren't allowed to enter yet but transit through Australia is now permitted. Direct Air India flights between Delhi and Sydney are likely to start on November 15.
On November 1, Australia's drug and medical devices regulator also announced the addition of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin to its list of approved vaccinations.
In the same week, the South American country Guyana has also approved Covaxin for travellers.
On November 3, the WHO issued emergency use listing (EUL) to Covaxin.
Who can travel to Australia?
Australian residents, permanent residents and immediate family members of residents are allowed to enter Australia. They need to be fully vaccinated. Tourists aren't allowed to enter Australia yet.
Who is considered fully vaccinated?
Anyone who has received both doses of a vaccine approved by Australia's drug regulator body is considered fully vaccinated. Both Covishield and Covaxin are on this list.
What do you need?
You need to follow a series of steps to enter Australia. Here's what you need.
- Proof of vaccination before you check-in to your flight.
- Complete the Australia Travel Declaration 72 hours before your flight. You will need to upload your vaccination certificate here.
- Make a legally binding declaration with regard to your vaccination status.
- Make a declaration that you will abide by territorial quarantine requirements based on your destination.
- Take a pre-departure RT-PCR test three days before your departure. In case of flight delays, the test will have to be taken again.
Do vaccinated travellers need to quarantine on arrival?
Quarantine requirements in Australia are determined by state and territory governments. Vaccinated travellers to New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) need not quarantine on arrival.
For details on restrictions in different territories you can check the COVID-19 restriction tracker.
Should you travel to Australia?
Yes, Australia is a relatively safe destination for travel with 80 per cent of its adult population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, earlier this month.
Besides the vaccination milestone, Australia has in the past week witnessed on an average, a low 1,369 new cases across the country each day.
Who can travel to Guyana? What do you need?
The Caribbean country of Guyana added Covaxin to its list of approved vaccine shortly before the WHO's EUL listing.
Guyana is open to all fully vaccinated travellers including tourists. You need to produce proof of vaccination and negative RT-PCR test conducted within 7 days before departure.
If the test report is more than 72 hours old, an on-arrival Covid test may be conducted.
Guyana is currently under night curfew between 10.30 pm and 4 am.