South Australian authorities have confirmed the state's border with Victoria, closed during Victoria's deadly second wave of COVID-19, will be reopening next week after it recorded zero new COVID-19 cases overnight.
South Australian Minister for Health Stephen Wade announced on Friday that the closure, a "hard border" introduced in late August, will end next Monday at 11.59pm.
South Australian Health Minister Stephen Wade and South Australian Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier.Credit:Getty
"The first thing I can announce is that the border restrictions which have existed with Victoria will be completely lifted as of midnight on Monday night next week," Mr Wade said.
"So from December 1, we will completely normalise our border arrangements with Victoria and this will be a huge relief for many people who have been adversely affected by these border restrictions."
South Australian Chief Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said the fact the state had recorded no new cases was "good news for us," adding authorities had conducted over 12,000 tests on Thursday alone.
"In terms of our cases, we now have 23 active cases, so that is a reduction," Professor Spurrier said.
"That means to me, we are getting as many people with respiratory symptoms tested as possible in our community."
The Victorian government welcomed the announcement, but said a permit is still required to enter Victoria from South Australia unless an exemption applies, adding its own decisions on borders would continue to be guided by its public health teams.
Permits can be obtained for any reason, however, people who have attended a South Australian exposure site are not permitted to enter Victoria unless granted approval by the Chief Health Officer.
The Victorian-South Australian border.
Roving controls from Victoria Police also remain in place.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Wednesday that her state would also reopen to Victorian travellers on December 1. NSW opened its border to people entering from Victoria on Monday and Tasmania started allowing visitors from Victoria to enter the state on Friday.
The South Australian outbreak caused Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory to close their borders to SA travellers and required any inbound passengers to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival. Thousands in South Australia were forced to quarantine or to isolate as a result of the cluster.
The restrictions included closing all schools, universities, takeaway restaurants, cafes and food courts for six days. Even outdoor exercise was banned with people allowed to leave their homes for food or medical supplies, or because they were essential workers.
Authorities are investigating a pizza shop worker who has been accused of lying to contact tracers and blamed for plunging South Australians into the lockdown.
David Estcourt is a court and general news reporter at The Age.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMikwFodHRwczovL3d3dy50aGVhZ2UuY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL3ZpY3RvcmlhL3ZpY3RvcmlhLWFuZC1zb3V0aC1hdXN0cmFsaWFuLWJvcmRlci10by1ub3JtYWxpc2UtYWZ0ZXItemVyby1uZXctY2FzZXMtaW4tYWRlbGFpZGUtMjAyMDExMjctcDU2aWppLmh0bWzSAZMBaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAudGhlYWdlLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC92aWN0b3JpYS92aWN0b3JpYS1hbmQtc291dGgtYXVzdHJhbGlhbi1ib3JkZXItdG8tbm9ybWFsaXNlLWFmdGVyLXplcm8tbmV3LWNhc2VzLWluLWFkZWxhaWRlLTIwMjAxMTI3LXA1NmlqaS5odG1s?oc=5
2020-11-27 03:26:00Z
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