After Two Years, , Australia Reopens Its Borders.<br />Reuters reports Australia is reopening its borders to vaccinated tourists.<br />Australian officials announced the country will be open to foreigners on Feb. 21.<br />If you're double-vaccinated, <br />we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia. , Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, via statement.<br />Australia's tourism industry <br />has been hit especially hard <br />by coronavirus safety measures.<br />Over the two years since the borders have been closed the industry has been on its knees. , Peter Shelley, Managing Director <br />of Australian Tourism Export Council, via Reuters.<br />Now we can turn our collective efforts towards rebuilding an industry that is in disrepair. , Peter Shelley, Managing Director <br />of Australian Tourism Export Council, via Reuters.<br />According to data from Tourism Research Australia, the country has lost $72 billion in <br />the tourism sector since the beginning <br />of the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />According to Reuters, nine out of ten <br />Australians over 16 years old have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine.<br />Australia reported a little more than <br />23,000 new coronavirus infections on Jan. 7.<br />Currently, the country reports its lowest amount of new COVID cases for 2022.<br />Per Reuters, almost 2.4 million cases <br />of positive infections have occurred <br />since the initial detection of the <br />Omicron variant in Australia
