Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[MEL_Traveller]

But from what we can see of the Australian government, they are pushing to basically not allow anything back to normal (travel wise) till there is no cases anywhere.

Puzzling, given their stance on internal borders which was 'open no matter what the cost'.

 

[hb13]

Puzzling, given their stance on internal borders which was 'open no matter what the cost'.

I was referring to international travel - as this forum is "Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted".

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was referring to international travel - as this forum is "Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted".

Indeed. And that's what I was responding to The Federal government's ban on international travel is puzzling given their complete opposite position for state borders, which followed an 'open at all costs' position, even joining the High Court challenge initially.

 

[CityRail]

Puzzling, given their stance on internal borders which was 'open no matter what the cost'.

This is an excerpt from Nine News website:



Source: How 10 million coronavirus vaccine doses will work in Australia

As vaccines are not designed to stop the spread of COVID-19, but just to reduce its severity in humans, that could very possibly mean there is going to be outbreaks in Australia and NZ post vaccine.

This means Australia and NZ and alike will inevitably going to have outbreaks after the vaccine is available.

 

[hb13]

I was wondering - is anyone aware of any serious possibility of a reduction in the 14-day hotel quarantine in the next few months? To a rule like in the UK - 5 days and a test?

Maybe the home quarantine is too far a stretch, but why can't they do a 5 day hotel quarantine with a test required 72 hours before travel to Australia, then a test within 24 hours of arrival and then a test on day 5/6?

I know this is not foolproof - but neither are vaccines. Is Australia going to just stay locked up until 2023/24??

 

[dajop]

I was wondering - is anyone aware of any serious possibility of a reduction in the 14-day hotel quarantine in the next few months? To a rule like in the UK - 5 days and a test?

Maybe the home quarantine is too far a stretch, but why can't they do a 5 day hotel quarantine with a test required 72 hours before travel to Australia, then a test within 24 hours of arrival and then a test on day 5/6?

I know this is not foolproof - but neither are vaccines. Is Australia going to just stay locked up until 2023/24??

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. What about considering releasing travellers after the Day 10/11 test comes back negative? I wonder how many pax who do test negative after day 10/11 go on to develop symptoms and subsequently test positive before Day 14?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is an excerpt from Nine News website:

View attachment 235508

Source: How 10 million coronavirus vaccine doses will work in Australia

As vaccines are not designed to stop the spread of COVID-19, but just to reduce its severity in humans, that could very possibly mean there is going to be outbreaks in Australia and NZ post vaccine.

This means Australia and NZ and alike will inevitably going to have outbreaks after the vaccine is available.

That's right, and what people have been saying for a few weeks now. But the 'lessening severity' is probably the key... a bit like the flu. With a vaccine it is probably less likely to lead to ICU/death than without.

My folks and other elderly relatives are happy with this. They're not after 100% risk free, they accept there are risk to life in general.

 

[CityRail]

That's right, and what people have been saying for a few weeks now. But the 'lessening severity' is probably the key... a bit like the flu. With a vaccine it is probably less likely to lead to ICU/death than without.

My folks and other elderly relatives are happy with this. They're not after 100% risk free, they accept there are risk to life in general.

If vaccines cannot stop the spread and can only reduce the severity, then I don't see a point of mandating vaccinations prior flights, because the argument of 'stop the spread' simply doesn't exist.

 

[ayushamity]

It might have been discussed before but the 35,000 odd Aussies stranded overseas - What is the plan on bringing them back ? They won't be be able to get vaccinated overseas as other countries will be prioritizing their own citizens.

Does that mean they will keep on drip feeding through the hotel quarantine system and possibly take months to clear the backlog ?

 

[hb13]

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. What about considering releasing travellers after the Day 10/11 test comes back negative? I wonder how many pax who do test negative after day 10/11 go on to develop symptoms and subsequently test positive before Day 14?

According to the CDC in the US, if you have a negative test on Day 7, the chance of you spreading Covid-19 is about 5%. After 10 days of quarantine with no test and no symptoms, it is about 1%.

CDC says 14-day Covid-19 quarantine can be shortened to 7 to 10 days

Covid-19 quarantine periods can be as short as seven to 10 days for some people, the CDC advised Wednesday, but a 14-day quarantine after coronavirus exposure remains the safest option.

edition.cnn.com

Obviously it depends on risk - if the Australian government wanted 0 risk, that isn't possible. The current hotel quarantine program is as close to 0 risk as possible, however, clearly, the economy is suffering.

I don't understand why they don't look at shorter quarantine periods. Or why not look at a 'trial period' of 2 - 3 months. See what the effects of a shorter quarantine period (in hotels, with a negative test) is.

A 7 or even 10 day quarantine would make a huge difference to the economy. More passengers can enter the country, giving stranded Australians more of a chance to get back home sooner.

If they continue this 0-risk policy, Australia won't really open up till 2022/2023 or even longer, because vaccines are going to take up to a year for other countries in the world to bring down the numbers significantly - if that is possible.

 

[DC3]

A lot of interesting points being made. However, I’m not sure whether Scomo regularly peeks at AFF, so may well be missing out on our suggested solutions.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A lot of interesting points being made. However, I’m not sure whether Scomo regularly peeks at AFF, so may well be missing out on our solutions.

Just as well we have doctors, lawyers, policy makers, intending passengers and families of passengers and possibly even the occasional media person. All of them can share ideas, put forward proposals, write to MPs

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

According to the CDC in the US, if you have a negative test on Day 7, the chance of you spreading Covid-19 is about 5%. After 10 days of quarantine with no test and no symptoms, it is about 1%.

CDC says 14-day Covid-19 quarantine can be shortened to 7 to 10 days

Covid-19 quarantine periods can be as short as seven to 10 days for some people, the CDC advised Wednesday, but a 14-day quarantine after coronavirus exposure remains the safest option.

edition.cnn.com

Obviously it depends on risk - if the Australian government wanted 0 risk, that isn't possible. The current hotel quarantine program is as close to 0 risk as possible, however, clearly, the economy is suffering.

I don't understand why they don't look at shorter quarantine periods. Or why not look at a 'trial period' of 2 - 3 months. See what the effects of a shorter quarantine period (in hotels, with a negative test) is.

A 7 or even 10 day quarantine would make a huge difference to the economy. More passengers can enter the country, giving stranded Australians more of a chance to get back home sooner.

If they continue this 0-risk policy, Australia won't really open up till 2022/2023 or even longer, because vaccines are going to take up to a year for other countries in the world to bring down the numbers significantly - if that is possible.

Because National Cabinet and AHPPC is probably split about 4:4 and 1 abstaining.....WA and Qld in one corner and NSW and Fed in another

 

[Ric]

This might put a small spanner in the works of opening.

Covid-19 vaccine: Allergy warning over new jab

People with history of significant allergic reactions told not to have Pfizer/BioNTech jab.

www.bbc.com

 

[hb13]

This might put a small spanner in the works of opening.

Covid-19 vaccine: Allergy warning over new jab

People with history of significant allergic reactions told not to have Pfizer/BioNTech jab.

www.bbc.com

As if there wasn't enough apprehension and stigma around the vaccine.....

 

[Ric]

As if there wasn't enough apprehension and stigma around the vaccine.....

Well, this was issued by The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency:
""Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations. Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available." as per The Independent, UK.
Certainly not pushing doom and gloom but it is good information to know.

 

[hb13]

Well, this was issued by The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency:
""Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations. Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available." as per The Independent, UK.
Certainly not pushing doom and gloom but it is good information to know.

I completely agree with you, we definitely need to know. I was more referring to the anti-vaxxer brigade that will jump on this and push how the vaccine is going to wipe us all out or make all of us grow tails or whatever it is they are pushing these days.

 

[drron]

The WA Premier shouldn't get a vote in the National cabinet meeting on Friday as his excuse for not coming is ludicrous.
"Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan won't attend the first in-person National Cabinet meeting over concerns South Australian Premier Steven Marshall could have coronavirus."

WA premier refuses to be in same room as SA premier over Covid-19

Leaders from each State and Territory will fly to Canberra for Friday's meeting except Mark McGowan (pictured) - who will join from Perth to avoid being in a room with Mr Marshall.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Apparently that decision is based on Health advice.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well, this was issued by The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency:
""Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations. Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available." as per The Independent, UK.
Certainly not pushing doom and gloom but it is good information to know.

On the news last night it was mentioned that pharmacists will be authorised to dispense the covid vaccine.

I think the key take out from the adverse reactions is for people with extreme allergies, as was the case for the two instances noted in the UK. This was in line with the trial data which suggested 1 allergic reaction per 1000 (the UK was 2 for the 'several thousand' dispensed on the day).

 

[OATEK]

According to the CDC in the US, if you have a negative test on Day 7, the chance of you spreading Covid-19 is about 5%. After 10 days of quarantine with no test and no symptoms, it is about 1%.

CDC says 14-day Covid-19 quarantine can be shortened to 7 to 10 days

Covid-19 quarantine periods can be as short as seven to 10 days for some people, the CDC advised Wednesday, but a 14-day quarantine after coronavirus exposure remains the safest option.

edition.cnn.com

Obviously it depends on risk - if the Australian government wanted 0 risk, that isn't possible. The current hotel quarantine program is as close to 0 risk as possible, however, clearly, the economy is suffering.

I don't understand why they don't look at shorter quarantine periods. Or why not look at a 'trial period' of 2 - 3 months. See what the effects of a shorter quarantine period (in hotels, with a negative test) is.

A 7 or even 10 day quarantine would make a huge difference to the economy. More passengers can enter the country, giving stranded Australians more of a chance to get back home sooner.

If they continue this 0-risk policy, Australia won't really open up till 2022/2023 or even longer, because vaccines are going to take up to a year for other countries in the world to bring down the numbers significantly - if that is possible.

A lot of interesting points being made. However, I’m not sure whether Scomo regularly peeks at AFF, so may well be missing out on our suggested solutions.

While the Federal Government signs the orders on International travel, the largest part of the Hotel quarantine arrangements rests with the States. No use pointing the finger at the Feds around length of quarantine as the states will not cop it (look at WA where the Premier is not attending the meeting in Canberra on health advice).

As we saw through the worst periods, the Feds repeatedly issued health advice that the states would not accept.

It would be good to see some rational comments on what the Federation might accept instead of just constantly carping about what one leader of one government in that Federation is saying/not saying, doing/not doing, whether state or federal.

Yes the Federal Government has the power to open the external border, but to do so unilaterally now to produce a similar situation where there is a fairly free flow of travellers similar to the UK, would IMHO not be accepted by the broader populace let alone some state governments.

We started being all in this together, and now we are all stuck in this together. Until the vaccine is actually available for distribution here, we won't see much movement.

Post automatically merged: Dec 10, 2020

Well, this was issued by The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency:
""Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations. Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available." as per The Independent, UK.
Certainly not pushing doom and gloom but it is good information to know.

I am sure the Drs surgery had these available as I stood around in their car park for 15mins after the flu shot to see if I was going to have a reaction.