The UK is not the only country to have closed off all of its travel corridors; Australia has had strict border controls in place since March 2020, restricting Australians from leaving the country, and international arrivals from coming in.

Now, the country’s Health Secretary Brendan Murphy has said the chances of travel to and from the country beginning again by early summer are low, with restrictions likely to be in place into 2022, even if vaccine programmes are effective.

Travel corridors across the UK have closed - negative Covid-19 tests now require...

A Gold Coast Lifeguard erects a Beach Closed sign at Surfers Paradise in April 2020 (Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Here is everything you need to know.

What are the travel restrictions in Australia?

As it stands, only Australian citizens and returning permanent residents and their immediate family members are permitted to enter Australia without an exemption.

Even then returning Australians and other travellers to Australia must return a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure, with exemptions only applied in extenuating circumstances.

The prediction by Australian Department of Health Secretary Brendan Murphy has lowered the chances of travel to and from the country beginning by early summer (Photo: Lukas Coch - Pool/Getty Images)

All international travellers entering Australia also need to undertake a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a designated facility. This can be arranged with State and Territory governments, but many have introduced charges for quarantine, meaning the 14-day self-isolation period must come at a person’s own expense.

The country opened a travel bubble with New Zealand last year, but is only currently operating one way flights inbound to the country; travel outside Australia is currently forbidden until at least 17 March.

Have the travel restrictions worked?

By and large, yes.

Australia has so far reported 909 deaths and about 22,000 cases, which is far fewer than many other nations of a similar size.

Experts have attributed much of Australia's success to its swift border lockdown and its hotel quarantine system for people entering the country; local outbreaks have largely been caused by hotel quarantine breaches.

When could Australia’s borders open again?

Even if most of its population gets vaccinated against Covid-19 this year, as planned, Australia’s border is unlikely to fully reopen in 2021.

That's according to Professor Murphy – Australia’s Health Secretary – who predicted “substantial border restrictions” will likely continue throughout the remainder of this year.

When asked by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) if borders would reopen this year, Professor Murphy said: “It is a big open question. I think the answer is probably no.

“We will go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions. Even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don't know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus and it is likely that quarantine will continue for some time.”

The country is set to begin its vaccination programme in late February, with local authorities resisting calls to speed up the process, allowing more time for regulatory approvals for the vaccinations.

Australia's national airline Qantas reopened bookings earlier this month, saying it expected international travel to "begin to restart from July 2021”, but it has however added the caveat that this depends on the Australian government deciding to reopen borders.

What’s the situation in the UK?

Under new rules across the entirety of the UK, all travel corridors have now been closed, and those arriving will be required to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test, and also self-isolate for up to 10 days.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday (15 January): “To protect us against the risk of as yet unidentified new strains, we will temporarily close all travel corridors from 0400 on Monday (18 January).

The UK government website states: “Travel corridors were suspended 4am, 18 January 2021.

“If you arrive in England from anywhere outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you will need to self isolate for 10 days.

“You must have proof of a negative coronavirus test to travel to England.”

The website also adds that you could face a £500 fine if you arrive at the border and cannot provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test.

When will Australia open its borders? International travel may be banned until 2022 - here's what's been said