The Federal government dealt a blow to Australians hoping for a speedy return to international travel.
Australia’s Finance Minister Simon Birmingham warned that, despite the rollout of the vaccine, it is unlikely that things will return to normal until the end of 2022 – at the very least.
Borders will continue to remain closed as COVID-19 outbreaks continue around the world, whereas new mutant strains – such as those in India – will continue to plague the world with uncertainty.
Australians have been prohibited from leaving the country without permission since March 2020. For those of Greek and immigrant descent, the situation has been even harder as they are unable to see family members or visit their assets abroad.
READ MORE: Australian PM Scott Morrison leaves hope for international travel
“We recognise that if Australians want to be kept safe and secure … and given uncertainties that exist not just in the speed of the vaccine rollout but also the extent of its effectiveness to different variants of COVID, the duration of its longevity and effectiveness, these are all considerations that mean we won’t be seeing borders flung open at the start of next year with great ease,” Mr Birmingham told The Australian on Thursday.