Prime Minister Scott Morrison has popped off for a short holiday until next Monday, January 18.

The leave period, rumored last week, was confirmed in a statement from the PM’s office on Monday morning.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack will take the reigns as acting PM while Morrison is away, including handling health briefings and meeting requests from state and territory governments.

Morrison will remain in contact with chief medical officer Paul Kelly, who will brief the PM on COVID-19 issues as they arise.

This time last year Morrison came under fire for jetting off to Hawaii on holidays as bush-fires raged across Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

This year Morrison will have to holiday in Australia, and probably in NSW, because international borders remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and several domestic borders are also closed.