The new COVID-19 rule that applies to international arrivals from today

From today, international travellers arriving in Australia will be required to test negative to COVID-19 before boarding their flights.

National Cabinet signed off on the rule on January 8, but it has taken two weeks to implement.

Under the new restriction, travellers must test negative to COVID-19 within 72 hours of their flight.

It comes as part of Australian measures to beef up border security in a bid to keep the more contagious UK strain of COVID-19 out of the country.

Health program director at the Grattan Institute, Dr Stephen Duckett, supports the measure, but warned it’s not infallible.

“Nothing is foolproof because some of us are fools,” he told Ross and Russel.

“I think it’s a good idea but we’ve got to be ready for it, and so do the people who are travelling.

“Some people the test might end up as a false positive so we should have systems in place for how that’s going to work and how people are going to explain their situation.”

Press PLAY below for more.