VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Many countries in the world are forbidding travelers, students, and foreign workers, from entering due to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Yet, Australia starting Wednesday (15/12) in fact has begun to openi its borders after believing that the new Omicron variant does not cause more dangerous symptoms than the previous Covid-19 variant.

According to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morisson, quoted from Reuters, Thursday (16/12), at this time humans will be forced to live with the COVID-19 virus. What can be done so as not to be dragged into the flow of economic downturn, is to open borders. The relaxation of border regulations is expected to reduce the labor shortage, which threatens to hamper the country's economic recovery.

The decision to reopen the border in Australia is a follow-up that the country has certainly considered carefully. Even the recommended security measures for the emergence of Omicron must have been anticipated. Locking down since March 2020 has seriously threatened the country's economy.

The circulation of money from the presence of foreign students in Australia is estimated at US $ 25 billion per year. The return of foreign students and skilled migrant workers will help businesses fill the shortage of freelancers. More than 235,000 foreigners, including around 160,000 students, are holding visas to Australia by the end of October 2021.

It is hoped that the health care system in Australia will be able to handle the increase in cases well, including for foreign arrivals. The quarantine system must also be enforced, in addition to continuing to tighten health protocols, from wearing masks to avoiding crowds to ward off the OMICRON virus.