The State recorded no new local cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday but announced four cases in hotel quarantine, including one of the new Omicron strain. None had been infectious in the community.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said three of the cases were interstate travellers who had been in northern New South Wales and the patient with Omicron was returned from Kenya.

He said it was anticipated that the Omicron variant, which first surfaced in Southern Africa in November, was likely to become the dominant strain worldwide in the coming weeks and months.

Gerrard said it was likely that mask mandates, in indoor settings, would return in Queensland, given that borders with southern hotspots are now open.

“There has been a significant increase in the number of Queenslanders getting vaccinated,” he said. “I think the hesitancy is melting away, particularly now as Queensland is opening up and we are going to see the virus circulating here. I think that hesitancy is melting away.”

Gerrard urged people who were eligible for their booster shot to get it before the Omicron strain started circulating on a wide scale.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on states and territories to ease their last remaining COVID-19 restrictions, as Western Australia announced plans to reopen its hard border to the rest of the nation.

Speaking at the Sydney Institute’s annual dinner on Monday night, Morrison urged jurisdictions to “facilitate, rather than dictate”.

“Australians kept their side of the deal, it is time for governments to now keep theirs; to step back and let Australians step forward,” Mr Morrison said.

“To put Australians back in charge of their own lives, relying on the connecting points and relationships that exist between the state and the individual.”

It comes as West Australian Premier Mark McGowan announced the state would relax its border restrictions from February 5.

McGowan made the announcement after WA reached the 80 per cent double-vaccinated mark, the last jurisdiction to reach the milestone.

While McGowan had come under fire from other jurisdictions for harsh border control, he said the measures meant WA residents were able to live normal lives.

“We followed a different model to the others, and it worked,” he said.

“We can safely ease border controls and reconnect WA. I am confident this is the right time and the right way to take this important step.”

The prime minister congratulated WA for making it to 80 per cent and for announcing plans to scrap its hard border.

“Australia is going to be connected and together again,” Morrison said.

“This will be welcome news for thousands of Western Australians looking forward to reuniting with family and friends after so long apart.”

The prime minister also confirmed a two-week pause on allowing visa holders to enter the country without an exemption would end as scheduled on December 15.

The decision will pave the way for skilled migrants and international students to return to Australia.

Travel bubbles with Japan and South Korea will also be able to commence.

The pause was instituted due to concern about the Omicron variant, but Australian Medical Association vice-president Dr Chris Moy said evidence pointed to the new strain not being as serious as Delta.

“If we are talking about a milder variant, even if it’s somewhat more infectious, hopefully it won’t be such a threat,” he told the ABC.

“But on the flip side, if it is really infectious and we get a real peak in cases and say half are serious, it may still be a threat because we will get a large number of people in hospital at the same time.”

There were almost 23,000 vaccines administered in the past reporting period, taking the national fully vaccinated rate to 89.2 per cent.

On Tuesday, NSW recorded 804 new COVID-19 cases and the number of Omicron cases rose by more than 20, to 85 in total. Victoria recorded 1189 new cases and six deaths.