Unvaccinated Australians are banned from leaving the country until April 17

Strict biosecurity laws banning unvaccinated Australians from leaving the country have been extended a further two months until April 17.

The laws, which have been in place since Australia’s first lockdowns on March 18, 2020, also require pre-departure testing for international arrivals and mask wearing on flights, as well as a ban on cruises.  

Greg Hunt said cruising could be allowed before April if health experts give the green light. 

‘There was an agreement at National Cabinet that the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland agreed to work with the industry to implement new protocols to enable the resumption of cruising over coming months,’ he said. 

‘The Commonwealth can remove the restrictions on cruising as soon as it is advised that it is safe to do so and the Minister will regularly review this advice.’ 

It comes after the Federal Government on Thursday updated its vaccine policy on the advice of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

The new rule means anyone with an essential role – such as teachers, health and aged care workers, airport and quarantine staff, as well as food distribution and transport workers – could need to get a third shot or face the sack. 

The rules are likely to differ from state to state. 

If anyone aged 16 and over doesn’t get a booster shot within six months of their second dose, they will be classed as ‘overdue’.

The government has changed its policy despite the sustained drop in the number of Covid cases across the country.

There were 190,267 active cases in Australia on Thursday – the lowest number since January 2 and a drop of 77 per cent over the past 24 days. 

Australians will no longer be classed as ‘up to date’ on their Covid vaccinations if they haven’t had a booster six months after their second dose (pictured, a woman being vaccinated in Sydney)

The Federal Government on Wednesday updated its immunisation advice after hearing from medical experts at the Australian Technical Advisory Group who recommended the change in the face of the Omicron outbreak (pictured, queues in Sydney for vaccines)

‘Under the new advice, a person is ‘up to date’ if they have completed all the doses recommended for their age and individual health needs,’ Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

‘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.

‘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’.’  

Scott Morrison announced this month that Australia’s international borders will reopen to double-dosed tourists on February 21, after a two-year shutdown.   

ATAGI said the updated advice will not impact international holidaymakers as the changes are focused on the domestic management of the virus and not international border settings.