Australia hits 80% vaccination milestone

Australia's Covid-19 vaccine rollout has hit a "magnificent milestone", with 80 per cent of the adult population fully inoculated against the virus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Saturday.

"That's four out of every five, how good is that? This has been a true Australian national effort, in cities and suburbs and towns, in hospitals and pharmacies, aged care facilities, disability homes," he said in a video posted on social media.

Before the announcement, Morrison said in a statement on Friday afternoon that National Cabinet noted the successful reopening of international borders with no quarantine into New South Wales (NSW), the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Victoria for fully vaccinated international arrivals, as the country gradually reopens to the world, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Quarantine free travel into NSW, Victoria and ACT for fully vaccinated international arrivals, including Australians, permanent residents, immediate family, parents and exempt foreigners visa holders."


"Already around 7,000 fully vaccinated travellers have arrived through Sydney and Melbourne Airports."

On Saturday morning, Australia reported more than 1,500 new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases and 10 deaths as the country continues to battle the third wave of infections.

The Northern Territory (NT) reported one new case - a household contact of a case that triggered the snap lockdown and lockout restrictions on Thursday.


The majority of new infections were in Victoria, the country's second-most populous state, where 1,268 cases and seven deaths were reported - IANS