Massive changes to flying back to Australia CONFIRMED by Dominic Perrottet – and it’ll make coming back from overseas holidays a lot easier
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has scrapped Covid PCR tests for international travellers instead opting to mandate rapid antigen tests.
The Premier confirmed the major move on Thursday after a National Cabinet meeting where Covid-19 testing and a definition of a close contact were discussed.
Mr Perrottet said the changes would ease ‘substantial pressure’ on the state’s testing system after exploding wait times and a delay in receiving results.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured) has scrapped Covid PCR tests for international travellers instead opting to mandate rapid antigen tests
‘We’ll move to a rapid antigen test there – that will relieve substantial pressure on the system because we’ve got around 5000 people flying into Sydney every day,’ he told 2GB radio
Currently in NSW people travelling from overseas must receive a PCR test within 24 hours of their arrival and self-isolate until they are notified of a negative result.
Another PCR test is required after six days and a third is recommended on day 12.
Mr Perrottet said the changes will alleviate substantial pressure on the state’s Covid-19 testing system (pictured, residents endured longer wait times in Sydney for PCR tests over the Christmas period)
Mr Perrottet also confirmed the isolation period for positive Covid-19 cases and close contacts would be slashed to seven days.
A close contact would also be more tightly defined, applying to household contacts of a confirmed case.
The new rules will take effect in NSW, Victoria, QLD, the ACT and SA from midnight Thursday, with Tasmania to join from January 1.
The changes come as Mr Perrottet said ‘tourism testing’ is clogging up the already overwhelmed testing system in NSW on Wednesday.
Thousands of people across NSW – including travellers required to have a negative PCR test before arriving in Queensland – were queuing for hours to be swabbed.
Wait times for results dragged out even longer, with the usual 24 hour turnaround blowing out to five days in some cases.
‘There are people getting tests who don’t have any symptoms, are not feeling unwell… and are taking the place of people who are unwell or who are required to get a test by NSW Health,’ he said.
The state’s ongoing Omicron outbreak has seen cases surge to more than 12,226 new infections on Thursday.
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