WA border reopens: New restrictions imposed to ease Omicron spread

WA’s hard border with the rest of Australia is coming down on March 3.

Premier Mark McGowan announced the new date at a press conference on Friday afternoon, after WA Health reported 194 new local cases of COVID-19 overnight.

International and interstate travel to WA will now be permitted, with arrivals given a RAT at Perth Airport and required to report positive results to Health authorities.

Triple vaccinated arrivals aged 12 and over won’t require to quarantine in WA, unvaccinated people entering the state will have to isolate for seven days, while fully vaccinated international arrivals still require a G2G pass.

WA’s reopening comes almost four weeks after the original date for quarantine-free travel was to resume and would not change this time around.

“I can’t see a situation where this would change, it’s only 12 days away,” Mr McGowan said.

“The introduction of quarantine free travel will naturally mean there will be spread of the virus in WA,” he said.

“At the same time it is evident that our daily cases numbers are accelerating.”

To help control the Omicron spread, new ‘Level 1’ restrictions will also come into play from 6am on Monday, February 21:

• Mask wearing compulsory in indoor public venues across WA.
• A 2qm rule will return for hospitality, entertainment, cultural and fitness centres, hairdressers, beauty service providers and places of worship.
• Nightclubs will be capped at 500 patrons, along with the 2sqm rule.
• Seated service requirements will come into effect at Crown Perth’s casino gaming floor, but nowhere else.
• Home gatherings capped at 30 people, with private outdoor events limited to 200.

“Standing consumption is still allowed and dancing is still allowed. We are trying to strike a safe balance,” Mr McGowan said.

Aged care residents will be limited to four visitors maximum per day, although exemptions are available for exceptional circumstances.

A cap of 75 per cent, or 45,000 patrons, will be on attendance at Optus Stadium ahead of the AFL season.

Restrictions could be upgraded to Level 2, which would include such measures as a 4sqm rule and limiting home gatherings to 10 people.

Mask wearing in schools would also be extended to Year 3 students and above.

The Premier said bottleshops will no longer be on the list of venues requiring proof of vaccination, effective immediately.

“As it stands we can’t stop the current outbreak, it’s there,” he said.

“It’s still a low number of cases, but we’ve already seen it grow, so the border is no longer effective.”

Mr McGowan expected WA’s overall third dose vaccination rate would be 70 per cent by March 3, with first dose vaccination rates of children aged five to 11 at 65 per cent.

Modelling predicted 10,000 new daily cases by the end of March.

Perth Live host Oliver Peterson had predicted the March 3 reopening earlier on 6PR Mornings.