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 Travel between the pair, home to more than half Australia's 25
million population, has been severely disrupted for months because
of an outbreak of Delta variant-fuelled COVID-19 cases.
"Victoria and NSW have been through so much over the last few
months, and we're pleased that more families will now be able to
reunite just in time for Christmas and the holiday season," Victoria
Premier Daniel Andrews said in a statement late on Thursday.
Travel company Flight Centre said "open borders between Australia's
economic powerhouses" will be a major boost for hotels, airlines and
other tourism businesses as flights resume between Sydney and
Melbourne, one of the busiest domestic routes in the world before
the pandemic.
Victoria on Friday downgraded all virus hotspots in its neighbour to
safe for the first time in months, and also permitted unvaccinated
NSW citizens to enter without quarantine. Victoria had already
opened up entry for fully vaccinated New South Wales residents
without quarantine last month, after closing its border in July.
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New South Wales, which had allowed entry throughout the crisis to
vaccinated Victorians provided they complete a two-week quarantine,
earlier this week dropped the quarantine requirement. However, it
remains closed to any unvaccinated travellers aged above 16 from its
neighbour.
Adult double-dose vaccination rates have neared 90% in New South
Wales and 83% in Victoria.
Both states continue to report cases as they shift to a strategy of
living with the virus on the back of the high vaccination rates.
Victoria reported 1,343 cases on Friday, while New South Wales
reported 249. Australia has reported a total of about 177,000 cases
and 1,794 deaths, far lower than many other comparable countries.
(Reporting by Renju Jose; editing by Jane Wardell)
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