Victorians will again be able to travel internationally without quarantining after New Zealand officials announced the travel bubble would resume.
New Zealand Ministry of Health announced late on Monday night the pause of quarantine free travel from Victoria to New Zealand would be lifted at 11.59pm on Tuesday.
Kiwi public health officials said the Covid-19 risk from Victoria was low and flights between Melbourne and New Zealand destinations could resume.
Travellers will no longer be required to have a pre-departure Covid-19 test.
New Zealand paused the travel bubble with Victoria on May 25 as Melbourne grappled with another local coronavirus outbreak.
“In the past week there have been no new cases in Victoria with the Delta variant of concern,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
“Victorian health officials have determined there is unlikely to be widespread community transmission.”
Travellers arrive from New Zealand in April. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De MarchiSource:News Corp Australia
Australians who have been at any of the exposure sites in Victoria, NSW, Queensland or the ACT in the last 14 days at the specified times are still not allowed to travel to New Zealand.
The announcement comes just in time for Victoria’s winter school holidays that are due to begin on Friday.
Tasmania also lifted its restrictions on travel from metropolitan Melbourne overnight.
“Anyone currently in quarantine in Tasmania who was in the metropolitan Melbourne area – but was not at a specified high-risk premises – is able to leave quarantine at midnight,” Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch.
Quarantine free travel from Melbourne Airport with New Zealand can resume Picture: Jake Nowakowski.Source:News Corp Australia
“Travel restrictions will remain in place for anyone who has been at any high-risk premises in Victoria at the specified dates and times listed.
“Anyone who is planning on travelling to Tasmania who has been to any of these high-risk premises at the specified dates and times will not be permitted to enter the state.”
Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland still have travel restrictions in place with people coming from metropolitan Melbourne.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is yet to commit to reopening the border but said it would be reviewed this week.
There are 54 active cases in Victoria, 28 that are locally acquired but there hasn’t been an unlinked case in more than a week.
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