As both states seek to relax their lockdown restrictions, people from New South Wales who are fully vaccinated will now be able to travel to Victoria without having to quarantine.
The rule changes came in at 12:01 this morning, allowing those who have been in red or orange zones like the Greater Sydney region to move interstate. Victoria has reclassified these regions as green zones, along with the rest of regional NSW.
This means that people from Shellharbour, Wollongong, The Blue Mountains, Sydney, and The Central Coast will now be able to cross into VIC without any restrictions on travel.
Crossing the border will no longer require the need for permits or for testing, but visitors will have to provide proof of their vaccination status.
Those who are unvaccinated will still be allowed to cross, but they must get a permit and isolate until they receive a negative COVID test.
However, the rules are not the same when going the other way. People coming into NSW from VIC will still have to isolate at home for 14 days, although they are allowed to leave for essential purposes.
Victoria recorded 1,841 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths in the 24 hours to midnight, the Department of Health announced on Wednesday. The state also administered a record number of vaccines, with almost 100,000 jabs given yesterday.
Premier Daniel Andrews has also warned that unvaccinated residents would not be given freedoms in VIC, even if the state reaches 90% full vaccination, and would likely be subjected to restrictions into 2022.
In NSW, 92.3% of people over 16 have had at least one dose of a vaccine and 81% are fully vaccinated.
NSW recorded 283 cases on Wednesday and seven deaths. However, hospitalisations are down and the pressure on the healthcare system is not thought to be too bad right now.
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