Australia announced this Monday that it will reopen its borders from February 21 for visa holders vaccinated against Covid-19. The announcement comes almost two years after it closed its doors to the world.

According to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morisson, the reopening of the borders, only covers all those who present themselves "double vaccinated", tourists included.

The prime minister explained more specifically that for a person to be considered vaccinated, they will have to present the full cycle of a vaccine, which in most cases will be two doses, but for some international vaccines, such as Johnson&Johnson's, it is only one. In case new arrivals have a proven medical reason for not being vaccinated, they must apply for a special travel permit and, if successful, will be required to be quarantined in a hotel.

Meanwhile, the announcement made this Monday was welcomed with open arms by the tourism sector, one of the most affected by the measures imposed and which has more than 600,000 workers.

For his part, the CEO of Qantas, an Australian airline, Alan Joyce, said that the reopening of the borders shows that Australia is "finally open for business." "This is fantastic news for our people and for our customers," he noted.

The government closed the international border to all but Australian citizens and residents in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.