Sydney: Australia’s largest city Sydney is all set to relax its 106-day lockdown on Monday next week. Authorities informed to lift all stay at home orders for the Harbour city’s residents who are now double jabbed. New South Wales which includes Sydney is on track to be the first state to cross the 80% threshold.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday hailed the re-opening saying,” The light at the end of the tunnel is now very, very close.” Mr Morrison stated Australia’s mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine which costs each traveller A$3,000 (£1,600; $2,100) would be replaced by seven days of home quarantine for vaccinated Australians or permanent residents. Unvaccinated travellers must still quarantine for 14 days in hotels.
From Monday, pubs, restraints, and shopping malls would swing open their doors welcoming the crowd. Travel restrictions beyond five km will also be lifted. However, the international and national borders would still be sealed.
Residents describe the re-opening as a freedom day as the city was bound indoors for almost four months now. Australia recorded the worst surge hitting 1,379 deaths in a population of around 26 million. The state endured several gruelling lockdowns in the past 18 months as the city remained un-vaccinated at large. The country has had some of the world’s strictest border rules evening restraining its own people from leaving the country since March 2020.