Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Pushka]

Services Australia has revealed that technology to allow Australians to travel overseas with proof of vaccination will be ready within weeks.

The so-called visible digital seal (VDS) project will allow Australians to verify their vaccination status with Home Affairs, who will create a “highly authenticated” digital record for travel and for use by third parties, such as airlines and other countries.

Services Australia said at the request of an individual, the department would send a person’s vaccination status to the passport office.

“What they will then do is take that data, make sure it’s all correct, and then they will put what they call a visible digital seal onto a certificate that they will then send back to us,” the department’s Charles McHardie said.

“And that certificate will then appear straightaway in your Medicare Express Plus app, and then you can download it to your phone.”

“That can be used at, you know departure gates, etcetera, wherever it may be utilized as as the borders start to open up.”

The VDS technology is internationally recognised and was developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Chief executive Rebecca Skinner said she expected the technology to be ready within three weeks.

“We are confident that the technology will all be in place within the next sort of two to three weeks, well before the end of October,” Skinner said.

“Our plan is to have all of the technology in place so that it is settled and tested situation before the policy decisions need to be made.

“We don’t want to be in a situation where policy decisions can’t be taken because the technology isn’t ready.”

The app is downloadable from the App Store. . Just need the QR code on the Certificate to become fully set up.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

you’re still not answering the question.

What’s the plan moving forward? Do you advocate for permanent quarantine for the rest of our lives because of this fear of a “new variant”.

We have new variants of influenza enter the country every year, but we’ve certainly managed to live with that. And that’s with less effective vaccines that aren’t as widely distributed.

I think for a trial period, home Q makes sense. The world is just starting to open up, there's the potential for variants to develop and spread.

If the next six months shows that we have nothing to worry about from new variants, and current vaccines are effective, then get rid of home Q.

 

[N860CR]

I think for a trial period, home Q makes sense. The world is just starting to open up, there's the potential for variants to develop and spread.

If the next six months shows that we have nothing to worry about from new variants, and current vaccines are effective, then get rid of home Q.

Ok great. So in six months, the current risk of new variants disappears?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ok great. So in six months, the current risk of new variants disappears?

Maybe, maybe not. But the data from the next few months or so will give health authorities time to assess whether home Q is needed, or not.

 

[N860CR]

Maybe, maybe not. But the data from the next few months or so will give health authorities time to assess whether home Q is needed, or not.

Sure. Hate to be blunt, but you’re just making this up. We’re sitting at over 2 billion “cases”. There have been a small handful of variants and none of them have been materially worse or have evaded existing vaccines.

Your plan would have more logic for a totally new virus.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sure. Hate to be blunt, but you’re just making this up. We’re sitting at over 2 billion “cases”. There have been a small handful of variants and none of them have been materially worse or have evaded existing vaccines.

Your plan would have more logic for a totally new virus.

That's right. None have yet. That may change when people start flying around in large numbers again and variants mix.

 

[N860CR]

That's right. None have yet. That may change when people start flying around in large numbers again and variants mix.

Again, there is no science to support this bizarre position.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Again, there is no science to support this bizarre position.

FWIW: Two coronavirus variants have merged – here's what you need to know

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

FWIW: Two coronavirus variants have merged – here's what you need to know

From the article:
"
Has the hybrid been detected among actual viruses circulating in people?
No, although the sequence is from a virus taken from an infected person, so it is a plausible hypothesis that the recombinant virus is in the community. However, it could have already fizzled out after failing to transmit to other people. The US has relatively low rates of viral sequencing, so it is hard to say either way.
"

seems a legit fear to overly complicate people getting their freedoms back /s

 

[OATEK]

Maybe, maybe not. But the data from the next few months or so will give health authorities time to assess whether home Q is needed, or not.

This is a recurring theme from your posts - just a few more (insert a figure here [ ] ) months and then lets see. This sort of proposition provides no certainty, and is not based on a sound risk assessment. Life is to be lived, not locked up in fear. The key to ending lockdown has been vaccination, and sooner or later we have to be brave enough to go out again and put it to the test. Most of us who are actual or wannabe frequent flyers seem to be ready to live, especially those of us separated from loved ones on the other side of the world.

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

This is a recurring theme from your posts - just a few more (insert a figure here [ ] ) months and then lets see. This sort of proposition provides no certainty, and is not based on a sound risk assessment. Life is to be lived, not locked up in fear. The key to ending lockdown has been vaccination, and sooner or later we have to be brave enough to go out again and put it to the test. Most of us who are actual or wannabe frequent flyers seem to be ready to live, especially those of us separated from loved ones on the other side of the world.

exactly, no-one is going to be roused from their home and forced to participate in some sort of satanic ritual with the compulsory exchange of bodily fluids, those that wish to can get their groceries delivered, can tell their employers they want to work from home and only put their bins out at 4am and run back inside.

no-one is going to be forced to do anything, people just need to be free to make their own choices / risk assessments again.

 

[Pushka]

This is a recurring theme from your posts - just a few more (insert a figure here [ ] ) months and then lets see. This sort of proposition provides no certainty, and is not based on a sound risk assessment. Life is to be lived, not locked up in fear. The key to ending lockdown has been vaccination, and sooner or later we have to be brave enough to go out again and put it to the test. Most of us who are actual or wannabe frequent flyers seem to be ready to live, especially those of us separated from loved ones on the other side of the world.

And let's face it, we are running out of years left to safely travel overseas. I'm so sick of the variants issue. Media blares the headlines 'scary new variant' one day and within 24 hours it's gone pffft. Could be an earthquake. A volcanic eruption. It's unnecessary chatter.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is a recurring theme from your posts - just a few more (insert a figure here [ ] ) months and then lets see. This sort of proposition provides no certainty, and is not based on a sound risk assessment. Life is to be lived, not locked up in fear. The key to ending lockdown has been vaccination, and sooner or later we have to be brave enough to go out again and put it to the test. Most of us who are actual or wannabe frequent flyers seem to be ready to live, especially those of us separated from loved ones on the other side of the world.

And fair to say that each of the time periods has materialised and progress has been made at each junction. Waiting a few months for a vaccine to be developed, and then another few months for it to be rolled out. And we will soon be ready to open borders, Those opposed to waiting for a few months were predicting international travel wouldn't start until 2024-25. The timeline has been much faster than that.

 

[OATEK]

And fair to say that each of the time periods has materialised and progress has been made at each junction. Waiting a few months for a vaccine to be developed, and then another few months for it to be rolled out. And we will soon be ready to open borders, Those opposed to waiting for a few months were predicting international travel wouldn't start until 2024-25. The timeline has been much faster than that.

Yes the timeline has been much faster than many expected, and that seems to be unsettling to some who want to wait longer instead of being brave enough to go out and test their vaccination in the real world.

 

[drron]

FWIW: Two coronavirus variants have merged – here's what you need to know

And that variant was found on 2/2/21.If it was a problem surely it would have supplanted delta by now.It does however tend to support my position that the next variant may be less virulent which is the way it often goes with viral infections and how the Spanish flu eventually ended.

 

[sydneyboi]

The app is downloadable from the App Store. . Just need the QR code on the Certificate to become fully set up.

is this feature out yet or are we awaiting for the government to update the covid certificates?

 

[antycbr]

And that variant was found on 2/2/21.If it was a problem surely it would have supplanted delta by now.It does however tend to support my position that the next variant may be less virulent which is the way it often goes with viral infections and how the Spanish flu eventually ended.

I saw an article that Mu has been eliminated from the US because Delta has crowded it out.

 

[hb13]

If the health advice says we need to spend a couple days in home Q I don't see the problem.

Tourists aren't high on my agenda at the moment - not least because I don't even know what the tourist market will be once we are in covid 'normal'. But for Aussies wanting to travel, and for those wanting to come home what's the issue of a couple days home Q if it brings benefits?

This is not about mortality. It's about controlling the spread and making sure our hospitals aren't overwhelmed. (Which they already are.)

Most countries are only just starting to open up. Home Q seems reasonable as a small hurdle to allow Aussies out and back.

How about every other country in the world does the same thing and imposes a 2-3 day home quarantine on all Australians forever - and you need to have a home or else you can't visit. Are you happy forever not being allowed to be a 'tourist' in any country?

 

[Pushka]

is this feature out yet or are we awaiting for the government to update the covid certificates?

The certificates need to have a QR on them. That's what the app has to scan to provide the tick or whatever it will look like.

 

[hb13]

That's right. None have yet. That may change when people start flying around in large numbers again and variants mix.

LOL - are you sitting there making this stuff up just to troll people here? "When people start flying around in large numbers again and variants mix"?

I think it's clear that your views are literally made up as you go and non-sense, you clearly don't care about the tourism industry and the thousands who depend on it and over the last18 months haven't cared about stranded Aussies who can't get home.

The shameful thing is that it seems the majority of Aussies in Australia share these views - and thanks to these views, this process is much, much slower than it should be.

I personally think its a disgrace that Aussies with expired visas and no home cannot return home - but some people just don't care - and that is a huge problem in our country.