Peter Gutwein,Premier
Our Reconnecting Tasmania plan will allow our borders to reopen safely on December 15 to travellers who are fully vaccinated and have provided a negative COVID test within 72 hours of travel, while ensuring we have the health and safety nets in place to keep on top of COVID during the reopening phases.
With around 87 per cent of Tasmanians over the age of 16 having had one dose, and around 72 per cent fully vaccinated, we are on track to reach our target of 90 per cent 16 and over fully vaccinated by 1 December.
We know that locking in a date to reopen provides certainty to businesses, families and the community and I want to reassure Tasmanians that we are prepared.
Importantly, by December 15, I am confident that everyone above the age of 12 in Tasmania will have had the opportunity to be vaccinated.
However, it is also vitally important we retain our community safeguards, and the number one safeguard we have is to get vaccinated as you are 90 per cent less likely to suffer severe symptoms, be hospitalised or die from the disease.
Other safeguards we will retain in place include:
- Our vaccination program, including boosters;
- Hospital preparedness, including new beds and COVID surge capacity;
- Adherence to basic hygiene (such as covering coughs/sneezes), social distancing, stay home if unwell, cleaning;
- The Check in Tas App (at all designated settings);
- Gathering restrictions, in line with current including density limits, and restriction on movement based on risk;
- Masks in high risk indoor settings, if required;
- COVID safety plans to support safe business and event operations;
- Testing and contact tracing; and
- Isolation of cases and quarantine of contacts, including furlough principles for vaccinated workers.
Based on Tasmania-specific modelling undertaken by Professor Raina MacIntyre from the Kirby Institute, we are confident that we can open our borders and manage COVID safely, and within our health system.
As we move through our reopening phases, we will continue to manage and monitor the situation closely to ensure we can continue to reopen with confidence.
We are opening our borders on 15 December and we urge Tasmanians to get vaccinated, and importantly, I can assure Tasmanians that we are prepared.
