So how are the borders going to be safely opened any time next year ? Case numbers will still be there, just less deaths eventually.
Once enough of the population is vaccinated, it won't matter if a COVID case arrives as he won't be passing it on. Likewise, if an Australian goes overseas he shouldn't get sick. There will be a divide between rich countries which get the vaccine early and can return to relative normality, and poorer countries which may wait for years for a sizeable percentage of the population to be protected.
The expected travel bubbles haven't really worked, so a vaccine is the best hope.