Mr Trump mentioned Brazil and other South American countries when discussing the measure but it is unclear which other countries could be impacted. He later added: "Maybe it’s a combination of both." "We’re also setting up a system where we do some testing, and we’re working with the airlines on that,” Mr Trump said. Mr Trump suggested either the government or the airlines could conduct the coronavirus tests. He added: “We will be looking into that in the very near future. “We’re looking at doing it on the international flights coming out of areas that are heavily infected,” Mr Trump told reporters. Mr Trump floated the idea during a White House briefing this week, saying his administration was looking into how such a scheme would work and suggested an announcement could be coming soon. When Mr Trump does eventually allow international travel to resume, there are likely to be a number of added precautions in place.įor instance Mr Trump has said that people flying into America from coronavirus hotspots overseas may soon have to be tested for the virus before boarding - a major change from current protocols. Dr Facusi told CBS News that normal summer holiday plans “can be in the cards" but added: "I say that with some caution”, warning that the prospect of summer outings largely depended on continued success in flattening the curve of new cases.Īny new spike in infections would alter plans to lift the restrictions currently in place. International travel - heavily restricted in Australia since its borders were closed to most foreign nationals in March 2020 - could resume as soon as November.Dr Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, sounded a more cautiously optimistic note when he was asked about summer travel. More than 70% of the population has been fully vaccinated. Lockdowns in Sydney and Canberra have also recently been lifted.Īustralia has recorded 150,000 coronavirus cases and more than 1,500 deaths since the pandemic began. More restrictions will end, including the reopening of most shops, when the state of Victoria’s vaccination rate hits 80%. Residents of Melbourne must continue to work from home if they can, and travel between the city and regional areas is only allowed with a permit. Masks are still mandatory both indoors and outdoors for all people in Victoria state. So, you know, if people, kind of, do not feel comfortable doing all the things that, you know, their friends are inviting them to do, I think it is important for people not to feel like they are boring or they are afraid.” In Melbourne right now, we have as much COVID as they have in all of Spain. They should enjoy some new freedoms, but they do need to think about how much COVID is out there.
“We all need to use our heads when we are getting out of lockdown,” she said. Nancy Baxter, an epidemiologist at the University of Melbourne, says the community still needs to be cautious. The new freedoms, however, apply only to the fully vaccinated.Īs the lockdown ends, the state of Victoria has recorded one of its highest daily totals of new coronavirus cases, with 2,232 infections, and 12 deaths reported Thursday. It recently passed Buenos Aires in Argentina as the world’s most locked-down city.īut pubs, cafes and hairdressers will reopen when the lockdown ends just before midnight Thursday. In total, it has spent more than 260 days under some of Australia’s toughest COVID-19 restrictions.
Since the pandemic began, the city of 5 million people has had six lockdowns. Restrictions on leaving home will be lifted and a nighttime curfew will be scrapped because the state of Victoria has met its double dose vaccination target of 70%.
A COVID-19 lockdown in the Australian city of Melbourne - officially the world’s most locked down city - will end Thursday.