Australia has scrapped its COVID testing requirements for travellers entering or leaving the country, more than two years after the pandemic began.
The change comes as restrictions continue to ease, despite tens of thousands of cases being recorded each day.
“From 18 April 2022 travellers to Australia will no longer be required to undertake a COVID-19 pre-departure test before boarding their flight,” the Department of Health said.
“Travellers are reminded that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the requirements of the airline you are travelling with and any countries you transit through.”
International travellers into and out of Australia must still be double vaccinated and wear masks while on flights and within Australia’s airports.
Unvaccinated travellers may be required to quarantine after they arrive in Australia, at their own expense.
Recent rules meant all citizens and travellers leaving Australia needed to produce a negative RAT or PCR test within 72 hours of travel.
The move was first announced by Health Minister Greg Hunter last month.
It was made as part of the coronavirus biosecurity emergency determination which expired on Sunday night and will not be renewed for the first time since March 2020.
However, incoming travellers will need to comply with the testing and quarantine requirements of the state or territory of their arrival, despite any federal rule changes.
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Meanwhile new cases of COVID-19 in WA have climbed again, however the State’s caseload remains well below earlier forecasts.
Hospitalisations and intensive care admissions have remained relatively low.
WA Health reported 5605 new cases on Monday, up from 5112 on Easter Sunday. There were 227 cases in hospital as at 8pm on Saturday, with six of these in ICU.
That compares to 220 hospitalisations and seven ICU admissions the day prior.
Late last week, both chief health officer Andy Robertson and Premier Mark McGowan declared the State had passed the peak of the Omicron wave.
That was reached on March 29, when 9754 cases were recorded, just shy of the 10,000 case peak that had been anticipated.
