Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Virgin Bart]

Have just pushed out my MEL-SIN SQ J on Wednesday to March next year. Gutted as was my first great hurrah since Jan 2020 (AKL in May 2021 doesn't really count). Too much uncertainty doing my head in and not willing to do 14 days hotel or home quarantine in VIC (if that becomes the case) for what was just a quick 3 day trip (including stressing about changing rules while in SIN/upon return).

Got a MEL-SIN-BKK on Boxing Day so looking forward to that and hoping preliminary reports of the strain being mild end up being substantiated.

Good luck. That's 20/12 for me. In starting to get really down about all this uncertainty.

 

[mel-world]

I have great sympathy for all those scrambling to get home for Christmas and/or trying to get relatives here after 2 years forced absence. However, I have two comments.

How are people testing positive on arrival (or very soon after) if they need to be fully vaccinated to fly and also show proof of a PCR test within 72 hours of departure? When I returned in September, I could not have boarded my inbound without providing the PCR test information on an officially acceptable form. A find it really strange that 10% of two flights into AMS from Africa over the weekend tested positive on arrival when they need to show a negative test before boarding. Are forged certificates that common?

A bit political but, its a pity the first world did not think about the third world while rushing to fully vaccinate this past 12 months (and now moving to a third dose). Maybe more co-ordination on the worldwide distribution would have been useful, especially here when many doses have been destroyed when past their use-by date.

 

[Lynda2475]

How are people testing positive on arrival (or very soon after) if they need to be fully vaccinated to fly and also show proof of a PCR test within 72 hours of departure?

Forgeries aside (and im sure these are rife in some parts of the world), they could test negative at home 72 hours out, then acquire covid at some point in the following 71 hours in community, en route to airport, at airport, on flight.

This is why rapid PCR at the airport 3 hours before the flight is better than testing days before; and why rapid testing at the airport on arrival better than letting people test in their own time after arrival.

The companies doing rapid PCR testing at SYDi and MELi can get a PCR in under 90 mins, just build it into the ticket price for international arrivals. That way people leave the airport knowing if they need to iso or not.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Forged certificates are out there. You may recall the QF rescue flight out of DEL where everyone had a 'certificate' but a big percentage of passengers arrived positive.

I could add to your last point that much of Somaliland's meagre testing capacity is taken up by travel testing for the wealthy and expats. Much, much harder there for someone who has symptoms to get a test.

Speaking of tests, I got my day 1 test at SYD International as a walk up (with a medicare card) at the drive through testing station behind the multi story car parks. There is another testing station at the departures level carpark, but that is paid express testing. You register your details here.

 

[Lynda2475]

There is another testing station at the departures level carpark, but that is paid express testing for international departures only.

I believe anyone can pay the $79 for the rapid PCR at departures, you don't need to be flying International, but the certificate they provide is suitable for international

 

[jrfsp]

Reported that Japan has joined Israel closing down the border.

 

[dajop]

This is why rapid PCR at the airport 3 hours before the flight is better than testing days before; and why rapid testing at the airport on arrival better than letting people test in their own time after arrival.

Although I'd want to do a test a day or two before in addition to test at airport. At least then you have time to deal with rescheduling etc ....

Note that on arrival in Singapore under VTL you are shepherded into testing station after collecting luggage and exiting customs to get your arrival PCR test, sent on your way, but told to isolate until you receive your results (usually 4-6 hrs later). Sensible approach than this arbitrary 3 day thingy ..

 

[Batterytraveller]

Reported that Japan has joined Israel closing down the border.

Japan to ban new foreign arrivals from across globe from Tues. - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Nov. 29 announced that Japan would ban the entry of all foreigners in principle in response to the spread of

mainichi.jp

 

[PineappleSkip]

Sensible approach than this arbitrary 3 day thingy ..

Consistent arbitrariness would be more sensible than 'hunt today's rules'! The first test is currently required within 24 hours of arrival.

I have seen or been given three different fact sheets and two different sets of guidelines in the last 24 hours. The day 7 test became a day 6 test. Depending on the version a day 12 test was mandatory, then strongly advised, then disappeared (it was always mentioned for children). The 72 hours is currently at least three days.

Looking forward to tomorrow's version.

cheers skip

 

[justinbrett]

The rhetoric is softening by the hour. At this rate by the weekend we'll be back to where we were a week ago.

 

[dajop]

Looking forward to tomorrow's version.

Here's a sneak preview. These will distributed to all airlines flying to Australia, and each passenger will take their turn at spinning the wheel prior to checking in:

 

[Must...Fly!]

Here's a sneak preview. These will distributed to all airlines flying to Australia, and each passenger will take their turn at spinning the wheel prior to checking in:

View attachment 266153

You missed "cough* off, we're full"

 

[Silvia]

It’s still confusing on the website. One bit still saying it’s ok to travel interstate on transit. The other bit saying quarantine in NSW. I also wonder the compliance aspect - we know what happened in Feb 2020. Really sad this border reopening lasted for 27 days

 

[_flyer]

It’s still confusing on the website. One bit still saying it’s ok to travel interstate on transit. The other bit saying quarantine in NSW. I also wonder the compliance aspect - we know what happened in Feb 2020. Really sad this border reopening lasted for 27 days

A friend contacted the gov today asking the same, she is from Adelaide. She is required to isolate on arrival in NSW for 72 hours, it can be at a hotel of her choosing. Upon arrival to SA she is required to then start 14 days home isolation.

 

[Pushka]

A friend contacted the gov today asking the same, she is from Adelaide. She is required to isolate on arrival in NSW for 72 hours, it can be at a hotel of her choosing. Upon arrival to SA she is required to then start 14 days home isolation.

The 14 days additional isolation should be reduced to 11 under current restrictions but of course that would be common sense. Make sure they get tested in NSW too. Hopefully omnicron can be put into perspective.

 

[Must...Fly!]

If it's mild then the quicker omicron gets in somewhere non African in big numbers the better so the real truth can be accepted

Not being discriminatory but it's pretty obvious by now that most "western" countries only trust their own data despite the capabilities of other nations

 

[Princess Fiona]

It’s still confusing on the website. One bit still saying it’s ok to travel interstate on transit. The other bit saying quarantine in NSW. I also wonder the compliance aspect - we know what happened in Feb 2020. Really sad this border reopening lasted for 27 days

The website is pretty clear about not traveling interstate or using any form of public transport until the isolation period is over.
I am hopeful that this will be only a temporary thing and both NSW and VIC will resume arrivals for all from low risk countries without quarantine.
International Travel to and from NSW

 

[Pushka]

If it's mild then the quicker omicron gets in somewhere non African in big numbers the better so the real truth can be accepted

Not being discriminatory but it's pretty obvious by now that most "western" countries only trust their own data despite the capabilities of other nations

Don’t panic about Omicron just yet

The mere mention of yet another Covid-19 virus strain is enough to inspire panic and dread in our hearts, and for good reason. However, while the Omicron strain is obviously not good, is it as bad as we might initially fear?

www.news.com.au

Former Australian deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth went on Today to explain that so far the only concerning thing about this variant was the high rate of infection — but that it could in fact end up being a good thing.

“There’s too few cases at the moment (to tell) … if this is milder than Delta you actually want it to spread within your community. You want it to out compete Delta and become the pro-dominant circulating virus,” he explained on the show.

“So, that shows you how much more we have learned about this because it could be that we want Omicron to spread around the world as quickly as possible.”

Speaking to 3AW, leading infectious diseases physician and professor at ANU Medical School, Professor Peter Collignon, echoed these sentiments, explaining that new variations are expected.

 

[jrfsp]

The major risk is someone on your flight testing positive for the strain and everyone on the flight needing to quarantine for 14 days. Case in point:

NSW confirms two more Omicron cases in travellers from southern Africa

Genomic testing confirms another two cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant from passengers who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa last night.

www.abc.net.au

 

[jb747]

International travel will never restart to any degree, if the politicians are going to panic every time a child in Botswana coughs.

Politically, panic seems to be the main response to anything that happens at the moment. Must be part of the job description to be one of our ‘leaders’.