Should you cancel your overseas holiday? Aussies warned against travel as Omicron sweeps across the globe causing headaches for jetsetters
- Australia’s rampant Omicron outbreak has seen the country branded High Risk
- Aussies travelling to the US and Europe face being banned or tough restrictions
- Australians have been free to leave the country for any reason since November 1
- Two million Covid cases since Christmas have put foreign governments on alert
By Kevin Airs For Daily Mail Australia
Published: | Updated:
Australians are being forced to put international travels plans on hold again as more and more countries shut their borders to visitors from Down Under.
The new Omicron outburst which has swept through the country since Covid restrictions were relaxed in December has skewered air travel for Aussies once more.
The country has been put on code red no-go zone fly lists for multiple countries after Australia suffered two million new Covid cases since Christmas.
Now holidaymakers hoping to finally go on their dream vacation and those wanting to visit relatives overseas have been warned they should consider cancelling the trip.
Australian travel restrictions were removed on November 1 which finally allowed any Australians to leave the country without the need to apply for an exemption.
Australians are being forced to put international travels plans on hold again as more and more countries shut their borders to visitors from Down Under (pictured, travellers queue up to fly overseas from Sydney Airport)
Holidaymakers hoping to finally go on their dream vacation and those wanting to visit relatives overseas have been warned they should consider cancelling the trip (pictured, Baios Bay on the Greek island of Crete)
At the time, Australia’s recovery from the Delta strain of Covid was the envy of most of the world and Australians were welcome almost anywhere.
But since Omicron has run rampant through Australia, foreign countries have blacklisted the country and branded it a Covid danger zone.
The US says Australia is now high risk and Aussie travellers will face extra restrictions, regardless of their vaccination status.
Other countries have been advised by the European Union to either block all Australians or enforce strict quarantine and testing requirements.
The country has been put on Code Red no-go zone fly lists for multiple countries after Australia suffered two million new Covid cases since Christmas (picture, health care workers in Melbourne)
Australian travel restrictions were removed on November 1 which finally allowed any Australians to leave the country without the need to apply for an exemption (pictured, travellers show their vaccination certificates at Los Angeles Airport in the US)
Anyone booking a trip overseas now could find it’s cancelled or they’re barred from entry to their destination country by the time they fly.
Australian Traveller Media founder Quentin Long warned travellers to weigh up the risk before making any new bookings, or asking for a cancellation and a refund.
‘I think when it comes to travel now, it all comes down to personal circumstances, what your risk appetite is, what you’re travelling for, how you feel about it,’ Mr Long told news.com.au.
‘My number one piece of advice is get a travel agent, they’ll be able to work with you on everything you need to know about going to a destination.
Many countries have been advised by the European Union to either block all Australians or enforce strict quarantine and testing requirements (pictured, rapid antigen test kits)
‘You’ll be able to get information about airlines, about PCR tests, RAT tests, what evidence you’ll need to get on a flight.’
Virologists say it is almost impossible what will happen next with Covid which makes planning overseas trips a gamble.
‘If holiday plans could be deferred, I think that‘s probably advisable and particularly while we get our systems back up and running,’ Dr Griffin told the ABC.
‘If we had more testing capacity it might make things like travel able to be done a little more safely.’
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