More than 40,000 people have come in to SA since borders closed, but mystery over number given compassion exemption
SA’s first COVID-19 case in nearly three weeks was a traveller from Britain, given special leave to see a dying relative. So who can travel into SA? Why? And how many have come? We break down the figures.
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More than 40,000 travellers have arrived in South Australia since the border closed including more than 22,000 deemed as essential travellers who don’t need to fully self-isolate – but how many were granted, and applied for the “heartbreak” exemption remains a mystery.
Essential travellers can include those granted leave on compassionate grounds such as to visit dying loved ones or attend a funeral.
Two weeks after The Advertiser asked, and several hours after this report was first published, on Wednesday SA Chief Healther Office Dr Nicola Spurrier revealed 22 such exemptions had been granted to international arrivals, half to visit dying relatives and the other half to attend funerals.
The number of interstate applications, and approvals, remains unknown.
The spotlight is on compassionate exemptions after a woman who flew in to Victoria from Britain last week and had tested negative, was granted an exemption to fly into South Australia to visit a dying relative and subsequently tested positive — the state’s first positive result in almost three weeks.
It has emerged the woman had not downloaded the COVIDSafe app, which would have helped in swiftly tracing close contacts she may have infected. Authorities believe she had “a small number” of close contacts.
Dr Spurrier said applications for compassionate exemptions come in daily.
State Government data shows as of Tuesday, May 26, there had been 42,614 travellers into South Australia since borders closed on March 24.
This includes 22,261 deemed essential travellers and so are exempt from the self-isolation rule.
People regarded as non-essential travellers can come into South Australia but must identify a suitable place of quarantine, travel directly to that location and self-quarantine at that location for 14 days.
Overseas arrivals are quarantined under supervision for 14 days at their arrival port.
There are nine classes of essential travellers including people with national security responsibilities, some medical workers, some freight and transport operators, people with special skills to maintain key industries, emergency services workers, some fly in-fly out workers, people passing directly through the state, some people living near borders and some needing critical medical care.
The final class of essential travel is compassionate grounds — such cases must self-isolate when not visiting their relative or attending the funeral and keep a record of close contacts.
SA Police has responsibility for enforcing the quarantine rules including border checks and compliance checks on non-essential travellers who are self-isolating.
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A SAPOL spokesman said: “Travellers into South Australia are deemed to be either essential travellers or non-essential travellers, and subject to self-quarantine for 14 days.
“We are unable to breakdown the numbers of people who have entered the state into the specific categories of essential traveller.”
SAPOL has made 19,104 checks on individuals and found 18,003 to be compliant, and has also made 19,104 checks on businesses and found 18,808 to be compliant with COVID-related restrictions.
SAPOL has issued 476 expiations for people breaching orders such as gathering for large parties, including 271 fines and 205 cautions.
A $1000 on-the-spot fine can be issued to anyone breaching self-quarantine requirements.