Australia and New Zealand are banning all non-citizens and non-residents from entering their respective countries due to CCP virus concerns.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Thursday afternoon that the travel ban will go into effect at 9 p.m. on Friday. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that its ban will be effective at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
Australian citizens and their direct family members will still be allowed to enter the country but will have to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Morrison said that about 80 percent of CCP virus cases in Australia “are either the results of someone who has contracted the virus overseas or someone who has had direct contact with someone who has returned from overseas.”
“So, the overwhelming proportion of cases in Australia have been imported,” Morrison added. “Measures we have put in place have obviously put an impact on that and this is a further measure now that can be further enhanced.”
NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pointed out that all of the 28 confirmed CCP virus cases in the country are related to overseas travel.
Ardern told a press conference that citizens and permanent residents can still return, but their options are running out as many commercial airlines are canceling flights.
“We will not tolerate risk at our borders,” Ardern said on Thursday. She added that borders will still be open for freight and cargo.
Morrison said that New Zealand’s travel ban “doesn’t apply to Australians living in New Zealand as New Zealand residents.”
“Equally for New Zealanders living in Australia as Australian residents, these are the same rules that apply in both countries,” he added.
Recently, the two countries announced that all international arrivals would have to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days.
