The Northern Territory has detected two new COVID-19 infections as authorities race to vaccinate Indigenous communities and usher in sweeping border rule changes.
It comes as thousands of people are set to flood into South Australia as the state's borders prepare to reopen to those from NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
And in Queensland, travellers have been caught in the middle of a debate over who should cover the cost of the COVID-19 tests required to enter the state when entry rules relax.
The two new cases in the Territory brings the current outbreak to 37 cases after a 33-year-old woman and 67-year-old man in Katherine were diagnosed with the virus on Monday.
A lockdown in Katherine, 320km south of Darwin, has been extended for two days until Wednesday at 6pm.
Restrictions have eased in the Aboriginal community of Robinson River, 800km east of Katherine, where the lockdown is now a lockout of unvaccinated people.
The new infections come as the NT relaxes some of its border rules for fully vaccinated travellers from areas where the virus is present.
They are now permitted to quarantine at home for seven days so long as they follow new testing guidelines and return negative results.
A ban on most unvaccinated arrivals has also taken effect, regardless of what jurisdiction they have travelled from.
"It's the first day, so teething problems are to be expected, some delays are to be expected," Chief Minister Michael Gunner told reporters.
"But we appreciate the patience of everyone at the airports today as this new phase begins."
It comes after nine new cases were detected in Binjari, about 330km south of Darwin, on Saturday.
The tiny Aboriginal community of about 190 was ordered into an extreme lockdown along with the neighbouring Rockhole, where about 100 people live.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner. Source: AAP
Residents in the districts surrounding the two communities and nearby Katherine have been ordered to wear face masks in most public places.
The Australian Defence Force has also been called in to help transfer positive cases and close contacts to the Centre of National Resilience at Howard Springs, just south of Darwin.
The outbreak was triggered by an infected woman who illegally entered the NT in late October.
The 21-year-old lied on her border entry form before travelling from Cairns to Darwin after visiting Victoria, where she had contracted the virus.
She infected a man in Darwin before the virus spread to Katherine, then Robinson River and Binjari.
Residents in Binjari and Rockhole can only leave their homes in an emergency or for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, unvaccinated travellers will no longer be able to enter the NT from Monday, under sweeping changes to the territory's border rules.
The only exception will be essential personnel, some compassionate grounds and Territorians returning from jurisdictions where COVID-19 is not present, called green zones.
Fully vaccinated arrivals from red zones where the virus is present will be able to quarantine at home for seven days.
But they will need to have a rapid antigen test upon arrival in the NT and return a negative PCR test within 72 hours.
They will also have to get re-tested five, eight and 14 days after leaving quarantine and stay in a high-vaccination zone away from aged care facilities and remote communities.
The home quarantine requirement is scheduled to end on 20 December with rapid antigen testing extended to all arrivals.
Thousands to travel as SA's borders reopen
Meanwhile, more than 25,000 people have already applied to come to South Australia once the state's borders reopen, and Premier Steven Marshall says they will be welcomed with open arms.
SA will open its borders to visitors from NSW, Victoria and the ACT from Tuesday for the first time in several months, but all arrivals will need to be double vaccinated against COVID-19.
They may also be subject to some other requirements, such as testing or monitoring for symptoms, depending on which local government areas they come from.
The same rules will apply to people from other parts of the country.
Anyone unvaccinated will need to apply for an exemption, with those applications to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Mr Marshall says the state's border restrictions have been in place for good reason but it is time to allow people to be reunited with family and friends and for others to pursue business opportunities.
"There will be some pretty happy faces down at the airport tomorrow and at our borders as people start to come back into South Australia," he said.
"They've got to be fully vaccinated but we certainly will be welcoming them with open arms."
The relaxation on border rules comes despite SA still being short of its original target of having 80 per cent of those aged 16 and over double vaccinated.
South Australia Premier Steven Marshall. Source: NCA Newswire Pool
As of Sunday, federal government figures put the vaccination rate at 77.2 per cent.
To enter SA, travellers will now need to use a new online border entry process known as EntryCheck SA which went live late last week.
After being swamped with applications it had some early issues and crashed at one stage, but Mr Marshall said he understood it to now be operating effectively.
The online system assesses an individual's vaccination status, departure location and COVID-19 risk.
Based on the information provided, travellers may also be prompted to use a new HealthCheck SA app which will help them monitor daily symptoms and guide them through any testing and quarantine requirements.
Travellers from any area with community transmission will need to have a COVID-19 test within 72 hours before arriving in SA and undergo a daily symptom check for 14 days.
Travellers from areas with a vaccination rate between 80 and 90 per cent must also take a test within 24 hours of arrival.
Those who travel from a local government area with community transmission and a vaccination rate of less than 80 per cent must have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to arrival and quarantine for seven days.
They will have to undergo tests within 24 hours of arrival in SA, and again on days six and 13.
As the state's borders relax, a range of local virus restrictions will remain in place, including the requirement to wear masks in most venues, including shopping centres and on public transport.
Concern Queensland travellers could face COVID-19 test fees
There is concern travellers to Queensland will be stuck with the bill for mandatory COVID-19 tests required to enter the state once the 80 per cent vaccination threshold is reached, as governments debate who should pay.
The state government has been resolute about the need for PCR tests, that can cost around $145 through private providers, rather than cheap rapid antigen test kits tests now available at chemists and supermarkets.
PCR laboratory tests are considered the 'gold standard' of COVID-19 detection, and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said their requirement for travellers from COVID-19 hotspots would remain when borders reopen.
Concerns about whether the measure will impact the state's tourism sector were brushed aside as Ms Palaszczuk pointed to the same requirement in other jurisdictions.
"This is the same requirement for people wanting to go and experience Western Australian tourism, Tasmanian tourism (and) South Australian tourism," she said.
The comments follow calls from the state's Health Minister Yvette D'Ath for the federal government to consider subsidising the cost of tests.
There is concern travellers to Queensland will be stuck with the bill for mandatory COVID-19 tests required to enter the state once the 80 per cent vaccination. Source: AAP
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said much of the pathology testing throughout the pandemic has been covered by Medicare, and it was up to Queensland to explain why it appeared to be passing the cost onto families.
"The federal government has picked up the vast bulk of the bill in this pandemic ... I'll leave it to the Queensland government to explain this impost," Mr Frydenberg told Channel Nine on Monday.
All states and territories agreed to a split funding arrangement with the Commonwealth to cover "asymptomatic testing" where people can "just turn up", Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Monday.
"I've seen that Queensland has been considering not doing that. That would be very unfortunate because that would prevent families from reuniting," he told Sydney's 2GB radio station.
"We're continuing on with all of our arrangements, from their perspective I hope that at the very time they want to bring people in, they don't reduce access to testing."
Under Queensland's reopening plan once the 80 per cent double-dose milestone is reached, fully vaccinated travellers must return a negative test taken within 72 hours of arrival if coming from a hotspot.
The possibility of travellers getting a test in Queensland before travelling to NSW for up to 72 hours and returning with the same proof of result is a "loophole that we will look at", acting Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken said.
"The intent is certainly for people to have a test in the area that they have been exposed to," he said on Monday.
Testing for people with COVID-19 symptoms has been free throughout the pandemic.
A total of 73.34 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are now fully vaccinated, and 84.55 per cent have had at least one dose.
No new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the state on Monday.
NSW RECORDS 180 NEW CASES
Meanwhile, another 180 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 in NSW and one person has died as the state inches further towards a 95 per cent vaccination milestone.
NSW on Monday reported another 180 new cases of COVID-19, with an unvaccinated Sydney woman in her 50s the latest person to die from the virus across the state.
NSW Health says the woman from southwestern Sydney died at Campbelltown Hospital in the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm on Sunday.
There are 202 people with the virus in hospital, 30 of them in ICU and 15 ventilated.
Nearly 95 per cent of adults have had their first vaccine jab while 91.8 per cent of people 16 and older have had two doses.
Some 75.4 per cent of children aged 12 to 15 have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 81 per cent of that age group have had their first jab.
Meanwhile, an alliance of health, human rights and fair-trade organisations have protested outside the Pfizer Australia office in Sydney.
New South Wales recorded 180 new COVID-19 cases on Monday. Source: AAP
The protesters are asking the pharmaceuticals maker to share their vaccine knowledge and to stop lobbying against changes to intellectual property rules that would allow low and lower-middle-income countries to ramp up the production of vaccines and treatments.
Pfizer recently announced revenue forecasts of $US36 billion ($A50 billion) from COVID-19 vaccine sales this year.
Advocates around the world are calling for action ahead of a WTO ministerial meeting on November 29, where a temporary waiver on vaccine monopolies will be decided.
In July, a task force led by the WHO, the WTO, World Bank and International Monetary Fund set a clear target to vaccinate 40 per cent of people in every low and lower-middle income country by the end of the year.
