EMNI 19 November 2021

Reopening requirements for visitors to Norfolk Island from NSW, Victoria, and the ACT from November 29.

From 29 November visitors will be able to travel to the island from NSW, Victoria, and the ACT. This date has been brought forward to correspond with the flight schedules from Sydney.

Fully vaccinated travellers from NSW, Victoria and the ACT will be required to have a negative PCR test for COVID-19 in the 72 hours prior to arriving on the island. This will be required as part of the declaration on the Entry Pass system and they may be requested to provide evidence of this on arrival. A PCR test will not be required for travellers from other states and territories.

As of 29 November, unvaccinated travellers from anywhere will be required to undertake self-isolation on the island until released by NIHRACS.

The requirements for travellers from the other states and territories remain unchanged.

The EMT will review these requirements prior to 17 December when Queensland is expected to have reached its next reopening threshold.

Norfolk Island COVID-19 Response Escalation Matrix with open borders.

When the island opens the borders to the states and territories that have circulating COVID-19 it will eventually result in the virus coming to the island. The measures that have been instituted (such as PCR testing) are to reduce the frequency of the virus introduction and control the likely spread in the community once it arrives. Most jurisdictions have similar escalation responses to contain the disease when an outbreak occurs, even after communities are highly vaccinated.

The Norfolk Island Response Escalation Matrix has now been released to provide the community with an understanding of the necessity to keep any spread of the disease in the community as low as possible.

For any questions about the COVID-19 response on Norfolk Island, please visit the Norfolk Island Regional Council website: http://www.norfolkisland.gov.nf/covid-19-advice-norfolk... in the first instance or contact Detective Sergeant Glenn Elder, IMT Incident Controller at IO-Norfolk-Island@afp.gov.au or +6723 22222. Alternatively, could you contact the Welfare Co-ordinator on 52777.

19 November 2021

EMT