Caught omicron? You can skip Australia's pre-departure tests for 30 days

Proof of recent recovery from Covid-19 could save travellers from pre-departure tests when travelling to Australia. Photo / Pexels

Vaccinated Kiwis travelling to Australia can skip pre-departure Covid-19 tests if they have recently recovered from the virus, according to Australia's Department of Health.

If you have recovered from Covid-19 within 30 days before your scheduled flight, you do not need to undertake further testing before departure.

Instead of providing proof of a negative PCR or RAT test at check-in, eligible travellers can supply a certificate from their medical practitioner that proves they have recovered and are no longer infectious.

The certificate must clearly include the date it was provided, which is within 30 days of the departing flight.

It must state the person has had the coronavirus known as Covid-19 but has not shown fever or respiratory symptoms of Covid-19 in the last 72 hours and is not considered infectious.

The certificate must also state it has been at least seven days since the person first tested positive on an accepted Covid-19 test.

If your certificate does not include all required information, "you should not go to the airport as you will be prevented from boarding," according to Australia's Department of Health.

"If you can not meet the criteria above, you must have an accepted negative COVID-19 test before travel."

Travellers will still need to provide proof of full vaccination in order to enter Australia.

Air New Zealand also states New Zealanders entering or transiting through Australia can provide a recovery certificate instead of a negative Covid-19 test. In line with the Australian government, it must be issued no more than 30 days before departure from the first embarkation point.

Around the world, other countries have made similar allowances. In America, those arriving by air can provide medical documents proving recovery from Covid-19 instead of proof of a negative viral test.

This acknowledges the way a natural infection can provide temporary protection from the virus.

"You probably do have at least a couple of months of some kind of protection against both infection and disease," Céline Gounder, a New York University infectious-disease expert and member of President Biden's Covid-19 transition task force, told the Washington Post.

As for how long this immunity lasts, experts are yet to agree, with studies finding the decline of protective antibodies to begin anywhere between three months and five years. For this reason, countries like America and Australia specify how recently someone must have been positive for Covid-19.

Travel to New Zealand from Australia
The Australian workaround, however, is not mutual according to a New Zealand Ministry of Health spokesperson.

"Most travellers who are eligible to fly to New Zealand and wish to self-isolate on arrival will need to meet full Covid-19 vaccination requirements, as well as return a negative pre-departure test," they said.

Those travelling to New Zealand cannot provide proof of recovery as a substitute for a negative pre-departure test.

Air New Zealand passengers flying from Australia to New Zealand must provide a negative Covid-19 PCR or RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure or a negative Covid -19 antigen or LAMP test taken within 24 hours before departure.

All regulations are subject to change, so we recommend regularly checking information on covid19.govt.nz and covid19.act.gov.au/travel