Queensland is a few weeks away from hitting its vaccine target – but those hoping to cross the border should be prepared to “pay up.”
Even when the state hits the milestone 80 % double dose vaccination rate, a number of restrictions are expected to stay.
All Australians, even those living in hotspots, will be able to cross the border on the condition that they’ve returned a negative COVID test within 72 hours of their flight into Queensland and are fully vaccinated.
However, getting a Covid test to travel must be done by a private lab, with pathology centres charging anywhere from $150 to $300 for a PCR swab, depending on how quickly you need it.
The Queensland Government is yet to confirm if it will drop the PCR test requirement when the state hits 80 % double dose vaccination or for those fully vaccinated.
The only way Queensland residents would avoid hundreds of dollars in extra costs would be if the state dropped current hotspot declarations before the middle of December.
Travel companies and airlines are slamming the requirement, seeing the expensive test as an impediment to reviving the industry.