Several thousand Victorians who found themselves on the wrong side of the NSW border have been stuck for months, with Victoria unwilling to allow them to re-enter the state if they had been in 'extreme risk zones', except for emergencies or for compassionate reasons. But now those Victorians can finally return home, with premier Dan Andrews announcing a change to the border permit system.
As of next week, Victorian residents who are in an 'extreme risk zone', which is essentially Greater Sydney, can return to Victoria if they have been fully vaccinated with two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. They also need to receive a negative Covid-19 test no more than 72 hours before re-entering Victoria, and they must quarantine for 14 days upon returning home. That quarantine can be done at home.
"If a person does not have a place to go to, that’s safe, we would try and make arrangements to support that person, but it’s home quarantine, if you’re double vaccinated and you have got a negative test within three days of coming home," said Andrews.
The new rules come in on September 30, so Victorians in Sydney will have to hang on for another week before being able to return.
"I know the number of people who have been trapped in New South Wales for a lengthy period, we have on numerous occasions sent our apologies to them and made it clear we understand just how challenging it is, and we wish things were different," Andrews said.