Australia and New Zealand are moving to seal off their borders today, announcing unprecedented bans on entry for non-residents in the hope of stemming the rise of COVID-19 infections.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the ban on anyone who is not a citizen or permanent resident coming to Australia “will be in place from 9:00 p.m. tomorrow evening.”
A similar measure was announced by his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern, who acknowledges: “I recognize how extraordinary this is. In no time in New Zealand’s history has a power like this been used.”
Australia and New Zealand have announced a slew of restrictions to tackle the pandemic, but have so far stopped short of closing schools or instituting wider-ranging lockdowns.
Policymakers hope the bans will slow the rate of infection enough to avoid more draconian measures that would cripple the two economies and transform life for months to come.
Australia currently has 642 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with the total doubling roughly every three days. New Zealand has 28 cases.
— AFP
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