Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
Health

The NT borders are now open after months of COVID rule changes. Here's what they are now

The Northern Territory border is open, and arrivals from COVID-19 hotspots are expected to flow in. (ABC)

Territorians are waking up to one of the biggest changes in the Northern Territory's border policies in almost two years.

Quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers have ended, replaced by strengthened testing requirements and new internal travel restrictions.

The new rules were announced months ago, but since then they've been overhauled, fast-tracked and quietly modified several times.

Here are the current rules for all travellers coming to the Northern Territory.

The three-test system – including one before you travel

If you're fully vaccinated — or ineligible to get the jab – you'll need to get three polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

The first will need to be taken in the 72 hours before you travel to the Northern Territory — you'll need the negative result before you arrive.

Arrivals to the NT will need to get three COVID-19 PCR tests.  (ABC News: Patrick Rocca)

If you arrive without a negative test result, authorities will book you in for a test and you'll have to isolate until you get a negative result.

At the border, you'll also need to show proof of your vaccination status or proof you're ineligible to be vaccinated because of your age or you have a Commonwealth-recognised medical exemption.

Once you're in the Territory, you'll need to be tested again within 72 hours. There is a final test on day six.

The tests will be free through the government's current coronavirus testing facilities and you won't need to isolate while waiting for results.

Health authorities will also be handing out free rapid antigen test kits for people to use at home if they develop symptoms at any point.

Travel restrictions within the NT

Most remote communities in the Northern Territory will be off limits for arrivals, except for returning residents and essential workers and their families. (Supplied: Sue Miller)

All arrivals will be required to download the G2G Now app, which will periodically require users to complete a location check-in to ensure new arrivals don't go into "exclusion zones".

The "exclusion zones" are most remote communities with a vaccination rate below 80 per cent of people five years and older.

There are currently 66 remote communities off-limits to recent arrivals, except for returning residents and essential workers and their families.

Those permitted will need to wear a mask for seven days, with the essential workers also required to undergo daily rapid antigen testing.

Rapid antigen test kits will be made available to those people when they undergo their PCR test before heading out to the remote communities.

Recent arrivals will be allowed to use some services within exclusion zones located along major highways if they're transiting through.

Daily tests for health staff, high-risk workers

If you work in "high-risk settings" — hospitals, aged care facilities, corrections and disability facilities — you can travel in and out of the Territory freely from today. 

From the start of the pandemic, frontline health workers have had to contend with additional public health measures to ensure the safety of patients and this likely will not change. 

Hospital staff will be able to go on holiday and return to work straight away.  (Supplied: Jack Bullen)

NT Health has confirmed that staff who arrive in the Northern Territory from interstate or overseas will be able to return to work straight away. 

They will have to comply with the border entry requirements set out for all arrivals and will be required to have a daily Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for the first seven days after arriving. 

This will need to be done at home before going to work. 

Unvaccinated travellers still banned

The rules haven't changed for unvaccinated people, with nearly all people who have not received the shots banned from coming to the Territory.

The government says unvaccinated people who try to come to the Territory will be turned around and could face a fine of more than $5,000.

The exception is for returning NT residents and a limited number of people eligible for exemptions, such as people moving to the NT, some essential workers and some people who will be granted compassionate exemptions.

But unvaccinated travellers given approval to come to the NT will still be required to undergo 14 days' supervised quarantine at their own cost.

What the experts know about the Omicron variant so far (Norman Swan)
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.