WA slams border shut with Victoria as outbreak grows
Western Australia will reinstate its hard border with Victoria from 10am today as Victoria’s COVID-19 outbreak continues to grow.
Victoria is now deemed a medium risk state, which means anyone who has been in Victoria since May 16 will no longer be able to enter WA unless they are an exempt traveller.
West Australians will be able to return home, but will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
All travellers who arrived in WA from Victoria since May 16 will be required to get tested and isolate until they return a negative result.
Previously this rule only applied to people who had visited exposure sites in Victoria.
It comes after Melbourne was plunged into a seven-day lockdown, after 12 new community cases were reported overnight.
Seven people in WA have visited the exposure sites in Melbourne and are all now in hotel quarantine.
Premier Mark McGowan said the hard border is necessary to avoid the virus creeping into WA.
“We thought the best measure was to protect ourselves in the best way we possibly could,” he said.
“This will be disruptive for many families.
“But the reality is it only takes one case to come in and we could be in lockdown ourselves.”
Essendon players already in Perth for Saturday night’s clash against the West Coast Eagles have all tested negative to the virus.
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