WASHINGTON — After a nearly two-year ban on international tourism, Australia's government reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers on Monday.
"These changes will ensure we protect the health of Australians, while we continue to secure our economic recovery," Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office said.
The country boasts one of the highest vaccination rates by population size in the world — about 80% — according to the New York Times and Johns Hopkins.
So far, 94.2% of those over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated; more than half have also received a booster shot, according to Australia's Department of Health.
While the vast majority are fully vaccinated, the country's leadership has come under fire on social media over how unvaccinated citizens are being treated.
On social media, some are claiming that unvaccinated people are being forced to enter government-run quarantine facilities.
"Is Australia sending unvaccinated citizens to "camps?" a Verify viewer asked via email. "...My coworker believes they are rounding up citizens who are not vaccinated."
THE QUESTION:
Is it true that Australia is 'rounding up citizens who are not vaccinated' and sending them to quarantine facilities?
THE SOURCES:
- Australian Government Department of Health
- International arrivals quarantine rules from state and territory websites- Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
- Spokesperson for Queensland's Department of the Premier and Cabinet
THE ANSWER:
Our Verify researchers found no evidence unvaccinated Australians are being 'rounded up' and sent into mandatory quarantine government-run sites.
WHAT WE FOUND:
On March 20, 2020, Australia closed its borders to all non-citizens. The ban was announced one day prior by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
A week later, on March 28, Australia’s government instituted a mandatory two-week quarantine for all returning travelers. Citizens and permanent residents were transported directly to facilities, dubbed “hotel quarantine," for a 14-day stay.
"These requirements will be implemented under state and territory legislation and will be enforced by state and territory governments, with the support of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) where necessary," the Prime Minister's office said at the time.
Hotel quarantine was widely successful at controlling the spread of COVID-19, according to Australia’s top health committee. They say between Mar. 28- Nov. 24, 2020, there were about 2,200 positive cases identified out of 164,714 arrivals, "and managed with very few documented transmissions."
Fast forward and the program is still used in Australia’s eight states and territories; up to 14 days confined to a room or small area, with regular health checks, three meals a day, for around the cost of $3,000. Each region can set up its own cost and stay parameters, so rules may vary by jurisdiction.
For instance, starting on Feb. 21, unvaccinated travelers returning to New South Wales will only have to go into hotel quarantine for seven days instead of 14 days. The NWS government charges $3,000 for one adult, $1,000 for additional adults, $500 for each child 3-18, and nothing for a child under the age of 3.
Meanwhile, Tasmania requires a quarantine period of 5-14 days for the price of $2,800 for a single person.
As for who is required to stay in one of these camps, in general, it's unvaccinated international travelers who are 18 or older, but specific rules vary by state and territory.
Our Verify researchers reached out to the Australian Government Department of Health regarding the claim that unvaccinated Australians are being "rounded up."
A spokesperson said, "these claims are false and the Australian Government categorically rejects them."
"The Australian Government’s position has been and will continue to be that vaccination is voluntary," the spokesperson continued. "Vaccination requirements established under state and territory Public Health Orders place obligations on individuals in certain settings that are critical to the delivery of essential infrastructure and services for the nation. However, it continues to remain an individual’s personal choice whether to be vaccinated or not."
Our researchers found some people pointed to an interview clip of Queensland’s Premier as proof of the claim.
"I think regional quarantine facilities are going to be needed into the future," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said during an interview with Sunrise. "We’ll also need it for unvaccinated people."
A spokesperson for the premier directed us to a press release, which explains the facility she was talking about. "Wellcamp" will be available to unvaccinated international travelers and those who don’t have a home in Queensland or cannot safely quarantine with vulnerable household members.
On Feb. 15, Palaszczuk tweeted that moving forward, Queensland will use the Wellcamp facility for quarantining, rather than hotel rooms.
So we can Verify, this claim is false. There’s no evidence unvaccinated citizens are being “rounded up” and sent into government quarantine.