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Starting early November, US borders will be open for travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings.

As of today (Wednesday, 13 October 2021), the following local government areas will be included in the QLD border zone: Bourke, Broken Hill, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, and The Far West. Residents in those areas will now be able to enter QLD, but only for strictly defined essential reasons. They must also have a valid border pass. But travel across the Queensland border for holidays, recreation or social visits is still not permitted for people in border zones.

It has been announced that the current lockdown in Mitchell Shire will end at midnight on Wednesday, 13 October 2021.

The lockdown in the ACT will end at 11:59pm on Thursday, 14 October 2021, as planned.

The 70km border bubble with Victoria will be reinstated, except for the Victorian town of Portland. Mt Gambier, Wattle Range and Grant council regions were subjected to tougher restrictions on Monday, 04 October 2021, after a woman returning from Victoria tested positive to COVID-19. But now SA’s southeast will return to the same level of restrictions as the rest of the state. SA is currently under Level 1 restrictions with some additional restrictions.

UK Secretary of Transport, Grant Shapps, announced last night 7 October that only seven countries now remained on the red list, with Britons now able to travel to 47 more countries with no need to quarantine on their return to the UK. South Africa will be added to the list of countries and territories with approved proof of vaccination, effective 04h00 on 11 October, according to Tourism Update. The travel advisory states: “If you arrive in England before that date you must follow the rules for people who are not fully vaccinated. If you arrive after that, you can use a vaccine certificate to prove your vaccination status.”

COVID-19 restrictions in QLD will be relaxed from 4:00pm on Friday, 8 October 2021, after the state recorded no new cases of the virus. Pubs, clubs and cafes will be able to host double the number of patrons as under the existing restrictions and people can have 100 guests at their home. Visitors will again be allowed into hospitals and aged care facilities. The use of the check-in app and wearing of masks while entering venues will still be mandatory. Students and teachers will be required to wear masks into and out of the school room, but masks can be removed while seated.

Thailand confirmed that vaccinated travellers from all countries were welcome into its ‘sandbox scheme’ on 1 October. The islands in the sandbox scheme are Phuket, Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao), Phang-Nga (Khao Lak and Ko Yao), and Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai, and Railay Beach).

FIFO and resource sector workers in Western Australia will be required to be vaccinated due to the “growing crisis” of Covid-19 on the east coast, says WA Premier Mark McGowan. From December 1, any FIFO and other workers in remote operations in the mining sector will be required to have their first COVID-19 vaccine, and be fully vaccinated by January 1 2022.

Hawaii Governor David Ige announced on 2 October that travel regulations would remain in place for at least another two months. Hawaii has been struggling with extremely high COVID-19 numbers in terms of new cases and deaths, all due to the Delta variant. Even though Hawaii is approaching a 70% vaccination rate, the Governor no longer sees this as a trigger for loosening restrictions.

The United Kingdom’s travel traffic light system was officially scrapped yesterday 4 October. According to a statement from the British Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, there will be no amber or green list to consult before travel. Only one red list and the rest of the World list. The new rules are: Red list: Pre-departure test, hotel quarantine for 10 days plus PCR test on days 2 and 8. Rest of the world: Day 2 test for fully vaccinated travellers. Pre-departure test, quarantine for 10 days, and test on days 2 and 8 for unvaccinated people.

Now that Chile’s vaccination rate is at 88,2%, the country has reopened to fully vaccinated international travellers visiting for non-essential purposes. Travellers must complete a Travellers’ Affidavit prior to arrival, which includes providing information about medical and travel history, proof of medical insurance covering a minimum of US$30 000 (R449 000) for COVID-19 expenses, and contact information for their stay in Chile. They must also provide a negative PCR test, taken within 72 hours prior to departure, and isolate for five days at either a hotel or private residence.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that international borders will reopen in November 2021 for states that have reached 80 per cent vaccination rates, starting with New South Wales. Fully vaccinated Australians and permanent residents arriving to NSW will be able to home quarantine for a week, instead of paying thousands to quarantine at a hotel for a fortnight, pending the success of the state's home quarantine trial. Travellers must be fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine to home quarantine, unless they are under 12 or medically exempt. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has advised that the Chinese-made Sinovac and the Indian-made Covishield vaccines would be considered "recognised vaccines" when determining whether an incoming international traveller has been appropriately vaccinated. The recognition of those vaccines will remove a significant barrier for international students seeking to study in Australia. Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and the Janssen vaccine are already recognised in Australia.

Lockdown orders have been extended in several regional areas of NSW, and a seven-day lockdown will be introduced in the Snowy Monaro LGA in the state’s south from 3:00pm on Thursday, 30 September 2021. For the following LGAs lockdown orders will be extended until Monday, 11 October 2021: Bathurst Regional, Bourke, Central Coast, City of Cessnock, Dubbo Regional, Eurobodalla, Goulburn Mulwaree, Kiama, City of Lake Macquarie, City of Lithgow, City of Maitland, City of Newcastle, Port Stephens, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional, City of Shellharbour, City of Shoalhaven, and Wingecarribee.

South Africa will move to adjusted alert level one from Friday 1 October 2021. All COVID-19 health and safety protocols must be followed, including observance of guidelines for social distancing, sanitation, hygiene and use of appropriate personal protective equipment, like face masks. The following measures will be implemented: A curfew will be in place between midnight and 04h00 am. Should your travel to/from an airport fall outside of curfew hours, you will need to produce your ticket or travel itinerary to show your reason for travel. Gatherings are permitted however only a maximum of 750 people indoors and 2000 people outdoors will be allowed. Where a venue does not permit these numbers with appropriate social distancing, only 50% of the capacity of the venue will be permitted. Non-essential establishments such as restaurants, taverns, bars and fitness centers may open however will need to close by 23h00 pm in light of curfew. The sale of alcohol at retail outlets for off-site consumption is now permitted as per normal. The sale of alcohol for on-site consumption is permitted as per licensing conditions and up to 23h00pm. All international travellers arriving in South Africa must produce a negative PCR test, to be presented on arrival and not older than 72 hours from the date of departure from the country of origin.

From 4:00pm on Thursday, 30 September 2021, restrictions will be tightened in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Moreton Bay, Logan, Townsville and Palm Island. Public and private gatherings are limited to 30 people, while aged care, correctional centres, hospitals and disability service provides will close to visitors. Cafes and restaurants will return to 1 person per 4 metres square indoors and 1 person per 2 metres square outdoors. You must be seated in hospitality venues when you're eating and drinking, and dancing is not permitted. Capacity at stadiums and events will decrease to 75 per cent, including Sunday's NRL grand final. Funerals and weddings are restricted to 100 people. A maximum of 20 people can dance at weddings.

Emirates will restart flights to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) from December 10, responding to the easing of international travel restrictions and an upsurge in passenger demand for winter sun. The airline will resume services to its second London gateway with a daily flight operated by a B777 aircraft, across First, Business and Economy class. By the end of December, the airline will offer 84 weekly flights to the UK, making it easier for UK customers to access Emirates' growing global network of over 120 destinations - close to 90 percent of Emirates' pre-pandemic network, and for international travellers to visit the UK.

Overnight, South Australia announced an increase in restrictions for people who have visited Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Moreton Bay Regional Council or Logan City in the last 14 days due to the growing outbreak. They will now be required to get a COVID-19 test on their first, fifth and 13th day after arriving in the state. Travellers from these four areas will also not be permitted in high-risk settings, such as aged care or at events with more than 100 people. This equates to Level 3 restrictions.

The NSW local government areas of Port Macquarie and Muswellbrook will be going into lockdown for seven days. The lockdown starts at 6:00pm on Tuesday, 28 September 2021. Stay-at-home orders will apply to anyone who has been in the Port Macquarie region since September 17 or Muswellbrook since 22 September. However, Kempsey will come out of lockdown midnight tonight (28 September) as scheduled.

The Byron and Tweed Shire lockdowns will be lifted as scheduled on Wednesday, 28 September 2021.