The federal government of Australia has announced to relax the Covid-19 testing rules. It’ll be eliminating the requirement for PCR testing, which was previously required. COVID-19 testing will no longer be required for international arrivals in Australia. People from overseas will soon be able to show a negative rapid antigen test only to enter Australia.
Australia will permit travelers to enter the country if they show a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours of their flight’s departure. Under current domestic travel measures, the states and territories are currently accepting RATs as an adequate public health measure to detect COVID-19.
Negative Rapid Antigen Test
Australia has announced the new policy of showing your negative rapid antigen test to enter the country. A rapid antigen test must be conducted under the supervision of a medical expert. It may include a pharmacist or trained personnel at an authorized airport testing station.
Joint Statements by Greg Hunt and Karen Andrews
Health Minister Greg Hunt and Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews have released a joint statement on the requirement for RATs.
They said;
“While PCR tests remain the gold standard test, a RAT within 24 hours is an acceptable indicator of whether a traveller has COVID-19 before flying to Australia.”
The timeframe for travelers who’ve been tested positive for COVID-19 to enter Australia has been shortened from 14 to 7 days. This measure conforms to the new requirements for domestic isolation. Furthermore, this measure may change depending on the health experts’ advice.
Greg Hunt and Karen Andrews said that;
“The pre-departure testing requirements will continue to be reviewed regularly, taking into account the domestic and international epidemiology.”
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Conclusion
The federal government of Australia has eased the testing rules for Covid-19. It has been announced that international arrivals will be able to show a negative rapid antigen test to enter Australia. The government has also reduced the time period for people tested positive for Covid-19 to receive their clearance within 14 days to 7 days. However, these measures may change according to the health and medical experts’ advice.
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I’m Nasir Nawaz. I’m a registered migration consultant in Australia. I am based in Sydney. I’ve studied Master of Laws at the University of New South Wales. I’m providing immigration services for several years.
Consult with me for legal advice on Australian visas to permanently live, study, and work in Australia.