There is growing pressure on the federal government to release a plan to gradually re-open Australia’s international borders. 

Chair of Epidemiology at Deakin University, Dr Catherine Bennett, said a plan will provide an “incentive” for people to get vaccinated.

“What we have seen, with the rollout of the vaccine, is some uncertainty because it is not actually tied tightly to a plan,” she said.

“I think everyone is saying we will just wait, whereas if you say we are opening up and so we need to do all of these things to be ready for that, then I think it becomes an incentive for people.

“It stops this complacency which I think is starting to creep in.

She said without a plan Australia will fall behind the rest of the world.

“If all Australians or the majority of Australians decided just to wait, then we are very vulnerable, and we will fall further behind the rest of the world if it opens up more.”

Press PLAY to hear about the growing calls for a plan

(Photo: iStock by Getty Images.)