Fully vaccinated people from the Greater Sydney region can now enter Victoria without quarantine or a COVID-19 test.
The Victorian Chief Health Officer said on Tuesday that the Victorian government would no longer regard New South Wales as having “red zones” under the state’s traffic light travel permit system.
The Greater Sydney region (including Central Coast, Wollongong, Shellharbour, and the Blue Mountains) has also become an orange zone from 11:59 p.m., Oct. 19.
People who are not fully vaccinated still need to isolate on arrival, get tested within 72 hours, and quarantine before receiving a negative result.
Children under 12 who are not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can travel under a parent’s permit. However, if the parent or guardian they travel with is not fully vaccinated, they must follow the requirements applying to the parent or guardian.
Other Local Government Areas (LGA) in regional NSW, plus Jervis Bay Territory, will become green zones. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) remains an orange zone. Travellers entering the state still need a permit from Services Victoria.
Broken Hill in NSW and Shepparton in Victoria will also rejoin the cross-border community area, which means that residents will not need a permit to cross the border.
NSW recorded 273 new locally acquired cases and four deaths in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Victoria has recorded 1841 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths on Tuesday, with 22,598 cases remaining active.
Additionally, 78,928 tests were processed, and 38,881 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered at state-run hubs.
The toll of the current outbreak has been taken to 175.
The state is getting closer to the 70 percent vaccination reopening target, with 68 percent of residents over 16 having been fully vaccinated.
