Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein announced today his intention to open the State's border to NSW from November 6, subject to ongoing health advice.
"What we want to see in a jurisdiction that we open up to is less than five cases of unknown transmission in the last 28 days," said Mr Gutwein."New South Wales in the last 28 days has had six only in a population of nearly 8 million people, so they are on top of this."
Mr. Gutwein confirmed December 1 as the target date for opening up to Victoria, provided it keeps its community transmission of COVID-19 low.
Approximately 600 people arrived by air across seven flights yesterday, after Tasmania opened its borders to Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia. More than 80 cars disembarked from the Spirit of Tasmania this morning.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said the border reopening would be closely monitored over the next three weeks.
"I certainly hope, I think I really expect, that we're not going to have cases from mainland Australia here, but I can't guarantee that," he said. "It's more likely that if cases pop up in South Australia or Western Australia or Queensland that they'll pop up there rather than a person that's chosen to travel to Tasmania. "That just makes statistical sense that you'll get a warning from the state, rather than a warning from the travellers."