The US Has Warned Americans Not To Travel To Australia
Australia has been slapped with a Level 4 advisory and tourists have been told 'Do Not Travel'.
Americans have been warned not to travel to Australia.
Despite America's own coronavirus-related issues, the Home of the Brave feels it's too dangerous to venture across the Pacific Ocean for a holiday Down Under.
The US Department of State has placed a Level 4 travel warning on Australia, which is the 'highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks'.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Australia due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country," it said.
"The Department of State advises that US citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so."
Australia is second in the world for the number of daily new coronavirus cases on a per capita basis, and is just behind France, according to 9News.
Thankfully, the country's death rate for the pandemic is one of the lowest, which is thanks to the incredibly high vaccination rate.
However, because a large swathe of the American population is unvaccinated (only 63 per cent of the country has received both jabs), they could face dire consequences if they contract Covid-19 in Australia.
Fear not, though, Australia isn't on some tiny list of high-risk countries.
Australia joins most of Europe, a big portion of Africa, parts of South America and Canada on the Level 4 list.
It's kind of a moot point at the moment because Americans aren't even allowed to travel to Australia at the moment, according to 9News.
At the moment, returning Australians can come into parts of the country without needing to quarantine for two weeks.
The Australian government announced yesterday (January 19) that it would relax visa rules to allow more international students and backpackers to come Down under.
In an attempt to address the worker shortage, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has revealed visa applicants will get a $630 visa rebate if they come to our shores within the next eight weeks.
"We want you to come to Australia and enjoy a holiday here ... move all the way around the country," Mr Morrison said.
"At the same time, join our workforce and help us in our agricultural sector, in our hospitality sector, and so many of the other parts of the economy that rely on that labour."
He added: "We also want them to come here and to be filling some of these critical workforce shortages, particularly those who are working and being trained in health care, aged care, those types of sectors, that will be incredibly helpful."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Australia
Stewart Perrie