WA to reopen border at 90 per cent vaccination milestone
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan said the state won’t be “swayed or pressured to a different approach” as he outlined the plan for reopening to begin from the 90 per cent double dose vaccination rate for residents aged 12 and above.
He said the policy is based on modelling which shows that 200 lives will be saved by reopening the borders at the 90 per cent double dose coverage, versus 80 per cent.
The state is expected to achieve the 90 per cent target in late January or early February.
“Our island within an island has delivered health and economic results that have been the envy in the world and the best in the world. And with a safe transition, we have the potential to keep it that way,” he said.
A specific reopening date will be locked in once the state achieves 80 per cent vaccination, expected in the first half of December.
“It is about safety. It is about certainty. It is about providing a soft landing out of the pandemic.
“I acknowledge some people will be frustrated. They may not be able to be reunited with family from New South Wales or Victoria over Christmas,” the premier told reporters.
“But as difficult as it is, it is for the right reasons.”
Once the borders reopen, face masks must be worn in high-risk indoor settings including public transport, hospitals and aged care facilities.
Proof of vaccination will be required to attend large events with crowds of more than 1000 people as well nightclubs and the casino. Entry to remote Indigenous communities will remain restricted and contact registers will still be used.
“Once we set that date, it will be locked in,” Mr McGowan said.
“But if we don’t, on that date, reach the 90 per cent double-dose vaccination, that means there will be further public health social measures put in place.
“That would mean restrictions on venues, on workplaces, restrictions when it comes to masks, all those sorts of things that we’re desperately trying to avoid.”
Mr McGowan said the government would soon release health department modelling that showed there would be a significant reduction in cases, hospitalisations and deaths as a result of reopening at 90 per cent vaccination.
“The difference in easing border controls at 90 per cent rather than 80 per cent is 200 West Australian lives are saved,” he said.
“The differences are stark. They cannot be ignored, nor can the benefits.”
Entry to WA is currently highly restricted to people from Victoria, the ACT and NSW but other travellers are not required to enter quarantine.
From the transition date, interstate travel will resume but all arrivals will be required to be fully vaccinated and return a negative test.
Fully vaccinated international travellers won’t need to isolate but those who are unvaccinated must undergo 14 days quarantine.
The government has not ruled out restricting travel between regions should vaccination rates be insufficient outside the metropolitan area.
“Cutting off the Pilbara or any region, for that matter, is not something I want
to do,” Mr McGowan said.
“But if that’s what is required to protect the local community and local industries, then we will take that step based on the health advice at the time.
“The sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner the safe transition plan can kick in.”
The premier rejected criticism that WA was acting against the national reopening plan, saying NSW and Victoria had “ignored every agreement”.
“They’ve opened up internationally when the agreement was that that wouldn’t happen,” he said.
“We don’t have community spread, we don’t have scores of people dying … I’m not going to adhere to some set of rules that’s going to result in 200 people dying.”
Source: sbs.com.au
