On 18 March, the Northern Territory government announced an economic stimulus package of A$60 million.
[1] On 24 March 2020, the Northern Territory (NT) government introduced strict border controls, with anyone arriving from abroad or interstate being required to self-isolate for 14 days.
The only exemption would be due to health and emergency services, defence and policing, flight crews and freight, and based on "compassionate grounds".
Anyone arriving in NT had to declare that they would isolate for 14 days and let the authorities know of their location during that period at the point of entry.
[3] On 3 February 2021, after a quarantine hotel worker at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, involved in the Australian Open tennis quarantine program, was found to have COVID-19, Victoria reintroduced some rules, and delayed the imminent easing of some restrictions.
From 3:30 pm (Australian Central Standard Time–ACST), arrivals into NT from Melbourne, West Melbourne, Noble Park, Keysborough, Springvale, Brighton, Wheelers Hill, Clayton South, Heatherton or Moorabbin will be required to go into mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
Previously, those over 16 could usually only book for the vaccine if they lived in regional parts of the NT, such as Alice Springs and Katherine.
About 750 FIFO (fly-in/fly-out) workers onsite were affected, while about 900 who left the site recently had to go into isolation, 259 in NT, but 650 went elsewhere throughout Australia.
[12] On 28 June, as the mine COVID cluster in NT had grown to 7 cases, the lockdown in Darwin was extended by 72 hours to 1pm on 2 July.
He was an international arrival, coming from the U.S. to Australia and NT for legitimate work purposes, who had already quarantined in Sydney and tested negative there.
[15] As of 19 August 2021[update], NT authorities do not know how the man became infected, but raised the possibility it may have occurred while transiting through Sydney or Canberra airports, or in hotel quarantine.
[17] Following the lockdowns, from 5:00pm ACST, NT declared Sydney and Canberra airports to be COVID hotspots.
[17] On 4 November, the NT recorded its first case of COVID-19 community transmission, when a person who had spent time in Katherine and Greater Darwin tested positive.
[23] On 27 November, Greater Katherine including Rockhole moved into a lockout; Binjari remained on lockdown.
Everyone in the NT will have to show proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status before being be allowed to enter venues such as casinos, cinemas, clubs, pubs and restaurants.
[34] On 16 January, at 3pm Alice Springs entered a 'lockout', wherein those not fully vaccinated must remain in isolation, under similar conditions to a general COVID lockdown.
[36] On 31 January another COVID related death occurred, NTs' third, at the Alice Springs Hospital.