COVID-19 pandemic

=== Oceania ===
{{Main|COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania}}
[[File:Empty shelves at Coles during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brisbane, Australia.jpg|thumb|right|Empty shelves at a [[Coles Supermarkets|Coles]] grocery store in [[Brisbane]], Australia, in April 2020]]
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Oceania on 25 January 2020, with the first confirmed case reported in [[Melbourne]], [[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|Australia]].<ref name="AustraliaCase1">{{#invoke:cite web ||url=https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/first-confirmed-case-of-novel-coronavirus-in-australia|title=First confirmed case of novel coronavirus in Australia|date=25 January 2020|website=Australian Government Department of Health |access-date=3 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215171557/https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/first-confirmed-case-of-novel-coronavirus-in-australia|archive-date=15 February 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Brisbane2021">{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Lynch |first1=Lydia |title=Going viral: Timeline shows how COVID-19 infected Queensland |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/going-viral-timeline-shows-how-covid-19-infected-queensland-20210112-p56tj7.html |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=Brisbane Times |date=27 January 2021 }}</ref> It has since spread elsewhere in the region.<ref name="WHO Dashboard">{{#invoke:cite web||url=https://covid19.who.int/|title=WHO COVID-19 Dashboard|date=24 April 2020|access-date=24 April 2020|archive-date=16 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416183953/https://covid19.who.int/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Brisbane2021"/> [[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|Australia]] and [[COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand|New Zealand]] were praised for their handling of the pandemic in comparison to other Western nations, with New Zealand and each state in Australia wiping out all community transmission of the virus several times even after re-introduction into the community.<ref name="reuters-oz-10days">{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Pandey S |title=Australia records 10th day of no local COVID-19 cases |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-australia/update-1-australia-set-for-10th-day-of-no-local-covid-19-cases-idUSL1N2K201P |access-date=28 June 2021 |work=Reuters |date=27 February 2021}}</ref><ref name="bloomberg-oz-tassie-price">{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Scott J |title= Australia's Island State Pays High Price for Virus Victory |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-24/the-high-price-of-beating-the-virus-on-one-pristine-island |access-date=28 June 2021 |work=www.bloomberg.com |date=24 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Cave D |title=One Case, Total Lockdown: Australia's Lessons for a Pandemic World |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/world/australia/perth-lockdown.html |access-date=15 April 2021 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=1 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331200902/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/world/australia/perth-lockdown.html |archive-date=31 March 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

As a result of the high transmissibility of the Delta variant, however, by August 2021, the Australian states of [[New South Wales]] and [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] had conceded defeat in their eradication efforts.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news|| vauthors = Briggs C |date=1 September 2021|title=Another state has given up on COVID zero. It shows Delta is a formidable foe|work=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-02/victoria-and-nsw-abandon-covid-zero-analysis/100426124|access-date=29 October 2021}}</ref> In early October 2021, New Zealand also abandoned its elimination strategy.<ref name="The Guardian NZ abandons elimination">{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Corlett E |title=New Zealand Covid elimination strategy to be phased out, Ardern says |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/04/new-zealand-covid-strategy-in-transition-ardern-says-as-auckland-awaits-lockdown-decision |access-date=4 October 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004002428/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/04/new-zealand-covid-strategy-in-transition-ardern-says-as-auckland-awaits-lockdown-decision |archive-date=4 October 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> In November and December, following vaccination efforts, the remaining states of Australia, excluding Western Australia, voluntarily gave up COVID-zero to open up state and international borders.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Dayman |first1=Isabel |title=SA opened its borders to COVID-19 this week. Here's what we've learned |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-27/sa-borders-open-what-we-have-learnt-so-far/100655534 |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=ABC News |date=27 November 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Lewin |first1=Rhiannon |title=Everything you need to know as Queensland's border FINALLY reopens to Australia |url=https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/everything-you-need-to-know-as-queenslands-border-finally-reopens-to-australia-c-4914002 |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=7NEWS |date=12 December 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Humphries |first1=Alexandra |title=5,000 arrivals in a day: Hobart Airport predicted to have busiest day on record |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-15/tasmania-open-again-after-almost-two-years-shut-due-to-covid-19/100699854 |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=ABC News |date=14 December 2021 }}</ref> The open borders allowed the Omicron Variant of COVID-19 to enter quickly and cases subsequently exceeded 120,000 a day.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Truu |first1=Maani |title=Hitting the Omicron peak is just the beginning: This is what's in store next for Australia |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-30/covid-whats-next-after-omicrons-peak/100786176 |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=ABC News |date=29 January 2022 }}</ref> By early March 2022, with cases exceeding 1,000 a day, Western Australia conceded defeat in its eradication strategy and opened its borders.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Mercer |first1=Phil |title=Western Australia Finally Opens Border After COVID-19 Closure |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/western-australia-finally-opens-border-after-covid-19-closure-/6468095.html |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=VOA |date=3 March 2022 }}</ref> Despite record cases, Australian jurisdictions slowly removed restrictions such as close contact isolation, mask wearing and density limits by April 2022.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web || vauthors = McNeill H |date=26 April 2022 |title=WATCH LIVE: WA to ditch masks, proof of vaccination and capacity limits |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/wa-health-minister-to-make-covid-19-announcement-20220426-p5ag8v.html |access-date=26 April 2022 |website=WAtoday }}</ref>

On 9 September 2022 restrictions were significantly relaxed. The aircraft mask mandate was scrapped nationwide and daily reporting transitioned to weekly reporting.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||last=Young |first=Emma |date=2 September 2022 |title=WA public health rules to change as COVID-19 case numbers drop |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/wa-to-drop-public-transport-taxi-and-rideshare-mask-requirements-20220902-p5bevh.html |access-date=12 October 2022 |website=The Age }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=COVID-19 update 9 September 2022 |url=https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases/2022/September/COVID19-update-9-September-2022 |access-date=12 October 2022 |website=ww2.health.wa.gov.au}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||title=Australia to move away from reporting daily COVID-19 case numbers |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-07/covid-19-statistics-to-be-reported-weekly-health-ministers-say/101414964 |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=ABC News |date=7 September 2022 }}</ref> On 14 September, COVID-19 disaster payment for isolating persons was extended for mandatory isolation.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Brown |first1=Andrew |title=Paid pandemic leave extended while mandatory isolation continues |url=https://indaily.com.au/news/2022/09/14/paid-pandemic-leave-extended-while-mandatory-isolation-continues/ |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=InDaily |date=14 September 2022 }}</ref> By 22 September, all states had ended mask mandates on public transport, including in Victoria, where the mandate had lasted for approximately 800 days.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Taylor |first1=Hayley |title=Victoria becomes final state to scrap COVID mask rule |url=https://7news.com.au/news/coronavirus-vic/final-australian-state-scraps-public-transport-mask-mandate-c-8314730 |access-date=2 June 2023 |work=7NEWS |date=21 September 2022 }}</ref> On 30 September 2022, all Australian leaders declared the emergency response finished and announced the end of isolation requirements. These changes were due in part to high levels of 'hybrid immunity' and low case numbers.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||last1=Jose |first1=Renju |last2=Jackson |first2=Lewis |title=As Australia calls end to COVID emergency response, doctors warn of risk to public |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-end-mandatory-home-isolation-covid-patients-2022-09-30/ |website=Reuters |date=30 September 2022}}</ref>