SA Health defends decision to allow Collingwood special exemption to fly into SA for Crows match

SA’s top public health official warned Crows v Collingwood crowd members to “not touch the ball” on Wednesday – but her comments have been tempered this morning.

Collingwood players and coaches will have to follow strict Covid-19 safety protocols when they escape Victoria’s extended lockdown to play the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

And chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier has warned fans to avoid any contact with the ball if it is kicked into the crowd, in case it is somehow contaminated with the virus.

“My advice to you is to duck and just do not touch that ball,” she said.

But her comments were tempered by deputy chief public health officer Emily Kirkpatrick on Thursday morning, who said the football match was “a very safe, very low risk activity”.

“I think it was really just taken out of context,” she told ABC Adelaide.

“What we do advise is that you do throw it (the ball) back in ... and give your hands a hand sanitise.

“It’s a very low risk for the SA public because we have all these measures in place.”

Prof Spurrier later on Thursday explained her “natural inclination” when a ball came near her was to duck, and her comments were a bit tongue-in-cheek.

She recommended santising your hands if touching the ball after “sweaty men” had handled it, advice she would have given before Covid.

Health Minister Stephen Wade holds an umbrella over chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier as she discusses the decision to grant a travel exemption to Collingwood. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

‘DON’T TOUCH THAT BALL’: SPURRIER DEFENDS ALLOWING PIES INTO SA

After days of confidential negotiations between health chiefs and AFL bosses, SA Health on Wednesday gave final approval to a travel exemption for 35 Collingwood players, coaches and officials.

They will fly in and out of Adelaide on the day of the match using a private charter flight. The group will travel between the airport and Adelaide Oval in a “sterile corridor” under police escort.

The restrictions will make sure Collingwood players and staff have “limited” exposure to South Australians.

The travelling party must self-quarantine before leaving Melbourne and can only leave their homes for training or to get a Covid test.

They will be tested again at Adelaide Airport and must return a negative result before the match. All Crows players will have a Covid-19 test 48 hours after the match and must isolate during that period, except for training.

Collingwood players and coaches must also sign a declaration they have not been to any of the Victorian exposure sites since the state’s outbreak started.

“This group of (Collingwood) players have very tough conditions on them – they will be here, they will play the match, they will be leaving,” Professor Spurrier said on Wednesday.

“We could not get the team here to quarantine, this is the other way of doing it.

“They will not be making contact with anyone in SA except the players in the Crows team; that is the only group in SA that will be exposed.”

Prof Spurrier said SA Health was in talks with Adelaide Oval about potential crowd restrictions.

“We’re looking at the seating at the moment and of course we’re looking at the ball because sometimes, not that I’ve been to many football games, I have noticed occasionally it does get kicked into the crowd,” she said.

“We are working through the details of what that will mean if you are at Adelaide Oval and the ball comes towards you.”

SA Health recorded almost 8000 Covid tests on Tuesday, which was almost 3000 more than had been recorded over the previous few days.

Prof Spurrier has said 8000 tests a day gave her confidence about virus levels in SA.

“It is certainly a lot better than it was,” she said.

SA Health has received 191 travel exemption applications since last Tuesday, of which 122 have been approved.

Authorities are seeking more information on 33 applications, while another 32 were rejected.

Two applications have been sent to police and two others are being appealed.

Exemptions are granted on compassionate grounds, such as for weddings, funerals or to visit dying relatives, or for urgent medical appointments.

Prof Spurrier said this Saturday’s AFL match was a “special situation”, and there was more risk to South Australians from placing international travellers in hotel quarantine.

About 60 per cent of more than 1300 respondents to an Advertiser.com.au poll were against Collingwood’s travel exemption. Hundreds of online posts also criticised the decision as a case of double standards, given the travel ban for other Victorians.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens backed SA Health’s decision, saying he was satisfied with the “rigorous process”.

“They placed a range of requirements around this that would ensure the safety of the South Australian community that allows the game to occur,” he said. AFL executive general manager of clubs and broadcasting Travis Auld said the first priority was the safety and wellbeing of the community, and the league would continue to make relevant changes to ensure that was the case.

“We have six really strong games this weekend and although some are taking place at unfamiliar home venues for a handful of clubs, we are encouraging as many fans as possible to come and see some great footy,” he said. “The reality of the current situation in the community means the fixture will become a week-by-week proposition for the short-term as we navigate through an uncertain period.

“We will continue to keep a close eye on the current situation in the community before making, if required, any further changes to upcoming rounds.”

Meanwhile, Adelaide 36ers’ final game of the NBL season against Melbourne United on Sunday has been moved from Melbourne to be played at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.