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Australia has been given a look at what life may look like after lockdown - and it may not be too different from life now, for the next couple of years at least. 

Epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely has warned even a mass vaccination programme won't be enough to return life to pre-pandemic normality.

And he says the reality is that we'll still need to wear masks, socially distance, use QR codes and get annual booster jabs for adults, while children will also need to be vaccinated.

But the University of Melbourne professor says borders should finally be able to re-open, albeit at a price.

Epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely (pictured) has warned even a mass vaccination programme won't be enough to return life to pre-pandemic normality

'We are now overly focused on vaccination,' he told Nine's Today show on Monday morning. 'Vaccination is necessary but not sufficient. 

'We can no longer vaccinate to get herd immunity. Vaccination alone won't mean we can throw our mask away, hug everyone in the Bunnings queue, open up our borders. That's not the case.

'When we open up the borders, be it 60, 70, 80% vaccination coverage, we will need to keep our contact tracing on, and masks on in public transport and high-risk environments.

'And we will need to keep physical distancing because vaccination alone is not enough. The package will be enough to make us resilient.'

Australians will still need to wear masks (left)  and socially distance even after mass vaccination. Pictured right is a lone walker near Bondi Beach on Saturday

Key to a return to complete normality will be to have children vaccinated (pictured), said Professor Tony Blakely

Key to a return to complete normality will be to have children vaccinated, he said - but that could face a public backlash.  

'We haven't vaccinated children, we haven't talked about that,' said Professor Blakely. 

'My guess is at the beginning of next year, between New Year and Easter, a lot of emphasis will be about vaccinating children, say 5-16. 

'It will be an interesting decision, because the kids don't get too sick but the parents have to make a decision, "Do I wait for them to get infected which has a small chance of morbidity or do I get them vaccinated now?"

'This might end up being a childhood disease if vaccinations are up across the whole of the adult population and our kids are not vaccinated.'

The comments come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pcitured) revealed his four phase 'pathway out of the Covid-19 pandemic' for Australia on Friday

The comments come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed his four phase 'pathway out of the Covid-19 pandemic' for Australia on Friday.

The plan sees the vaccination programme continuing under phase one while cutting international arrivals by 50 per cent, probably until the end of the year. 

Phase two would see a two tier system for international arrivals, with the current numbers restored for one tier and a second larger cap for fully vaccinated travellers.

The PM said he hoped that could be introduced in 2022. 

The comments come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed his four phase 'pathway out of the Covid-19 pandemic' for Australia on Friday. Phase two of the PM's plan would see a two tier system for international arrivals (pictured right), with the current numbers restored for one tier and a second larger tier for fully vaccinated travellers

Phase four, also with no target date, would see a return to pre-pandemic normality, only with pre- and post-travel testing (pictured) 

Phase three currently has no date set but would be to treat Covid like the flu, with no lockdowns, arrival caps, or domestic travel restrictions, and possible travel bubble arrangements with countries like Singapore.

Phase four, also with no target date, would see a return to pre-pandemic normality, but with pre- and post-travel testing, said the PM.

University of New South Wales infectious diseases expert Professor Greg Dore has called for travel restrictions to end immediately for anyone with both Covid jabs.

'People who are fully vaccinated should be able to leave without exemptions NOW, not next month, not next year,' he said on Sunday. 

'They should be able to home quarantine on return and not be counted in returnee cap.'

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said he wanted clear metrics on the roadmap and warned the public were '...not of a mindset to say lockdowns should be continuing into next year'

The PM's roadmap also got a mixed response from business. 

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said he wanted clear metrics on the roadmap and warned the public were '...not of a mindset to say lockdowns should be continuing into next year.'

And Ai Group chief executive Innes Wilcox warned it was vital for state governments to stick to the PM's pathway.

'Business have had enough of lockdowns,' he said 'The thought of more lockdowns this winter quite frankly terrifies people.'  

But Professor Blakely warned the road to get there might be long.

Professor Tony Blakely (pictured) warned the road back to normality might be long

'My crystal ball only goes for two years,' he said. 'Even then it is a bit tenuous. 

'I certainly think for the next year until we open up and the year after that, masks will be a feature of our society, contact tracing...

'Hopefully what happens is, as the virus keeps mutating, it might become more infectious but hopefully it will become less virulent and we can relax more. 

'And we can get used to the fact that we will have a booster vaccine every year that gets us more resilient and we will find our way out of this. 

'But it is going to take several years to find our way out of the situation to something that was like 2019.'

The United Kingdom is set to come out of a six month lockdown in a fortnight and looks likely to make masks optional under the new relaxed restrictions. Seen here are masked commuters getting on a bus in Perth, Western Australia

He added: 'There is no exact black and white rule for each criteria. 

'It is the package that comes together. And when we don't have any Covid circulating, we may say, "Throw your mask away." 

'But as soon as there is an inkling of the COVID being back, you would put the mask back on, certainly in high-risk environments like the pub and public transport.'

The United Kingdom is set to come out of a six month lockdown in a fortnight and hopes to make masks optional under the new relaxed restrictions.

'I don't think they will have those masks off for very long, unfortunately,' said Professor Blakely. 'If you take your masks off, you lower the protection of society.

'They are going to be more likely to get it and then you will have to put your masks back on, but these are the sort of things we are all feeling our way through.'

Using QR codes (pictured) is likely to remain a feature of Australian post-pandemic life