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The country's government has confirmed that Australia's 'human biosecurity emergency period' will now be in place until 17 June 2021, giving them the powers to take any necessary measures to continue to prevent and control COVID-19. This represents a three month extension, which will total 15 months since the ban was first imposed in March last year. Powers currently in place under this initiative include restrictions on the entry of cruise vessels, restrictions on outbound international travel, pre-departure testing and mask-wearing for international flights. "These restrictions can be amended or repealed if no longer needed," Hunt noted, adding that in particular the Government was continuing to work with state and territory agencies, national health committees and the cruise industry "to develop a framework for the staged resumption of cruise ships in a manner that is proportionate to the public health risk".

The Dubai-based airline has announced that it will now offer passengers the chance to purchase additional, empty seats when travelling in the economy cabin. Up to three adjoining seats on a flight will be offered to all economy class passengers holding a confirmed booking; passengers will not be able to pre-book empty seats, however, as these are subject to availability. Empty seats will only be offered for purchase at the airport check-in counter prior to flight departure, and costs range from $55-165 USD per empty seat, plus applicable taxes depending on the flight route.

The country's government has published updated COVID-19 entry requirements that come into effect from 1 March, introducing a new 4-tier colour-coded system allowing tourist visitors from over 40 countries to enter without requiring a quarantine period; passengers will however be subject to different levels of COVID-19 testing requirements based on the associated risk level assigned to their point of origin.

The government of Germany has announced that it has added France's eastern Moselle region to its list of COVID-19 'variant concern' areas, triggering tougher entry requirements at the border between the two neighbours. Under the new restrictions, almost all travel will be banned; there are only a few exemptions, including lorry drivers and certain key workers. Anyone crossing the border will have to provide a valid, negative COVID-19 test result.

The country's government has announced from 06.00 (local time) on 28 February, Auckland will be upgraded once again to COVID-19 alert level 'three' for a period of at least seven days; the remainder of the country will also move to alert level 'two'. The changes have been announced following the discovery of new community cases of COVID-19 in South Auckland.

The country's government has announced that South Africa will move to COVID-19 alert level 'one' from 28 February, with a curfew in place daily between 00.01 and 04.00 (local time). The 20 land border crossing points previously re-opened will remain fully operational, with an additional 33 remaining closed. International air travel will only be permitted from Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, King Shaka International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and Lanseria International Airport. All international travellers arriving at the aforementioned airports must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test result on arrival obtained no more than 72 hours from departure. Passengers will also be subjected to health screening on arrival.

The country's government has announced that it is extending current, strict COVID-19 border checks at crossing points with the Czech Republic and Austria’s Tyrol province until at least 3 March. At these crossings, Germany is limiting entry to its own citizens and residents, truck drivers, health workers and a few others including cross-border commuters working in 'systemically relevant sectors'. All are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result.

The airline and its low-cost partner airline Jetstar have announced they will restart regular international passenger flights to most destinations from 31 October 2021. The airlines had previously anticipated flying internationally by July 2021, but this has been pushed back to allow Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout to be completed.

Since November, people travelling in or out of Vermont have been subject to a strict, state-mandated quarantine; travellers must isolate for two weeks on entering or when preparing to leave the state, or for a week if they receive a negative COVID-19 test result. However, the rules are changing for people who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine - from 2 March, travellers who have been vaccinated may come or go freely without isolating.

The government of the devolved UK administration of Scotland has announced that it's current COVID-19 stay-at-home order is set to end on 5 April, to be followed by a return to a level system to ease out of lockdown restrictions. The Scottish government has said that will be able to give more details in mid-March on how restrictions will be eased from the end of April onwards.

The airline - the national carrier of Bahrain - has announced that it will resume flights to Singapore from 1 April. Operated by the flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the Singapore route will be added to Bangkok and Manila in the list of Asian destination offered by the carrier.

The government of the Australian state of Queensland has announced that it will suspend quarantine-free entry to arriving passengers from New Zealand, effective as of 18.00 (local time) on 24 February; passengers who arrive after 18.00 will be required to complete 14 days of quarantine. The announcement is in response to escalating COVID-19 cases in New Zealand.

The country's government has announced that the country will continue at the highest level of COVID-19 restrictions until at least 5 April.

The Dubai-based airline has announced that it will resume daily flights to New York's Newark Liberty International Airport, via Athens, from 1 June. The addition of Newark via Athens will take Emirates’ U.S. network to 10 destinations following the resumption of services to Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York JFK, Washington DC, Dallas and San Francisco (to resume on 2 March).

The country's government has announced that it will now require passengers arriving from some destinations deemed 'high-risk' for COVID-19 to complete 14 days of self-quarantine prior to departure. The new rule applies to a number of African countries including the Republic of Congo, Seychelles, and South Africa, as well as other high-risk locations including Egypt, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, according to the respective Chinese embassy websites. Passengers will also now be requited to take COVID-19 PCR and antibody tests at designated venues within 48 hours of boarding to qualify for a green health code. Upon arrival in China, travellers will not be exempt from standard quarantine requirements.

The country's government announced updated entry requirements for arrivals which took effect from 22 February; among them, quarantine requirements on arrival have been lifted for passengers arriving with certification that they have been vaccinated for COVID-19. The certification must show that the passenger has received a European Union-approved vaccine.

The country's government has announced that it will now permit entry to international passengers without the need for COVID-19 PCR testing or quarantine periods on arrival, providing they are vaccinated against the virus. Passengers arriving for the purposes of tourists can do so if they can present evidence that they have received two full doses; the last dose must have been administered no less than two weeks prior to the date of travel. Meanwhile, un-vaccinated tourist arrivals must present a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test result obtained a maximum of three days before departure, or a medical certificate showing proof of recovery from the virus. Passengers under 10 years old are exempt from all testing, vaccine or proof of recovery requirements.

The UK government has announced a new four-step 'roadmap' to ease COVID-19 restrictions in England which could see all legal limits on social contact lifted by 21 June, if strict conditions are met. There will be a gap of at least five weeks between each of the plan's steps to allow for the impact of changes on infection rates and hospital admissions to be assessed. During step three, which will begin no earlier than 17 May, an easing of international travel restrictions is also due to begin.

The U.S. government has announced that its land borders with both Mexico and Canada will remain closed to non-essential travel for at least another month until 21 March. The land border restrictions, aimed at controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, were first announced in March and have thus far been renewed monthly.

It has been announced that major U.S. airlines are set to assist public health officials by asking for the personal information of passengers arriving in the country, in a bid to speed up potential contact tracing needs. The information that the airlines will be asking of its US-bound international passengers is as follows: legal name, two phone numbers, email address and the address of where travellers will be staying in the US - or address of permanent residence in the US. Submitting the information is voluntary, with passengers not obligated to pass on such information when asked to do so.