Uk and Greece allows Unvaccinated and Vaccinated to travel through border
Australians will now need three Covid vaccine doses to be considered “up to date” with their shots, but it will be left to individual states to set their own rules on booster mandates.
On Thursday, the federal health minister of Australia Greg Hunt, announced the government’s immunisation advisory body had updated its guidance.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation’s new guidance states a third dose is required for someone to be considered “up to date” with their vaccinations.
The new terminology replaces the “fully vaccinated” status which applies to someone who has had two doses, in recognition of the better protection provided by booster shots, particularly against the Omicron variant.
“Atagi recommend that everyone aged 16 years and older receive a booster dose three months after their primary course, to maintain the best protection and an ‘up to date’ status,” Hunt said in a statement.
“Further, Atagi has advised that if it has been longer than six months since a person’s primary course and they haven’t had a booster, they will no longer be considered ‘up to date’ and instead will be considered ‘overdue’.”
However, each state governments may set their own rules on how many doses their jurisdiction requires.
Andrews has consistently said if Atagi changes its definition of fully vaccinated, the Victorian government will also extend its vaccinated economy, meaning tourists to Melbourne may need three doses to access hospitality or retail.
Rules for Travelling to Australia
From 21 February 2022, all fully vaccinated visa holders can travel to Australia without a travel exemption.
Unvaccinated visa holders will still need a valid travel exemption to enter Australia.
Vaccinated Australians and permanent residents
Australian citizens and permanent residents aged 12 and over who are fully vaccinated with an approved or recognised COVID-19 vaccine can leave Australia without needing an outwards travel exemption and may be eligible for reduced quarantine requirements when returning to Australia. All children aged under 12 years and 3 months count as fully vaccinated for travel purposes.
Australian citizens and permanent residents who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons are also treated as vaccinated for the purposes of their travel.
For more information, including on travelling with children aged under 18, see our frequently asked questions on international travel.
Greece
Rules on boosters: Greece does not require travelers to be boosted to enter the country, but does require proof of vaccination to access places like indoor restaurants. For this purpose, a vaccine is valid for 7 months and travelers must receive a booster to remain valid after that time period.
Rules for travelling to Greece
Greece is open to both vaccinated and unvaccinated Travellers . Anyone over the age of 12 will need to fill out a pre-departure passenger locator form.
If you’re unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, you will need to show proof of a negative Covid test result. PCR tests can be taken within 72 hours of arrival, or antigen tests within 48 hours of arrival.
Fully vaccinated travellers will be exempt from Covid test requirements but a random PCR test may be taken.
Rules for travelling to UK
The UK is also changing its travel rules from tomorrow (Friday, February 11) from 4am.
This means people arriving in the UK will not have to take a PCR test, only having to fill out a pre-departure form.
As for those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, the current requirement to self-isolate for 10 days will be scrapped, as will day eight Covid tests.
This means that unvaccinated arrivals will need to just take two tests; one pre-departure, one post-arrival.
