SA Police and SA Health leave people in quarantine confused by mixed messages

SA Health is scrambling to message a number of people in quarantine after the state’s top cop announced they could leave – sparking confusion.

About 450 people have been let out of quarantine after the Police Commissioner said rules had changed.

However, his announcement caught SA Health by surprise, and was forced to quickly contact people it had determined as low risk.

Earlier in the day, people in quarantine were confused by conflicting messages about whether they could leave isolation.

Until Thursday, SA Health advised many people who entered SA under an exemptions before borders reopened on November 23 to remain in quarantine even if they’re fully vaccinated because of their “high risk to the public”.

Police Commissioner and state co-ordinator Grant Stevens on Thursday morning told FIVEaa radio all quarantining guests could leave their homes or hotels because of the changed border arrangements provided they were double vaccinated.

Double-vaccinated, but unable to leave quarantine – despite SA’s borders reopened and receiving conflicting advice from SA authorities. Cate Ryan in her unit at Rostrevor. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Scrambling in response to Mr Stevens, SA Health put out a statement around 1.30pm Thursday, saying their team was in the process of directly contacting vaccinated domestic travellers in quarantine, to advise them they could leave quarantine.

“Anyone who entered quarantine before borders opened on November 23 are advised to stay in quarantine unless they are contacted by SA Health,” their statement said.

Unvaccinated arrivals, those who only had one dose or international arrivals who arrived before November 23 would be required to finish the 14 days in isolation.

SA Health said about 450 people have been let out of quarantine.

Cate Ryan was particularly confused, not knowing if she was free to leave her designated quarantine location in Rostrevor.

Ms Ryan, 35, touched down in Adelaide on November 14 with an exemption to relocate from Melbourne for her work.

The Adelaide-born woman is fully vaccinated and received three negative tests since she arrived.

“I’ve rang SA Health several times,” Ms Ryan said. “I’m trying to explain to them that the rules changed since I entered quarantine but they’re standing to it.”

After hearing Mr Stevens on radio this morning, Ms Ryan called SA Health to confirm she could leave her quarantine.

“I’ve tried calling SA Health but I was the 47th person in the queue so I hung up pretty quick,” Ms Ryan said.

The Advertiser received confirmation from SA Police at 11am that “any arrivals who were quarantining at home in SA when the state reopened on Tuesday morning and are doubled vaxxed, no longer have to quarantine as per instructions prior to November 23”.

SA Health’s media team was contacted just after 11am, but was not aware of this direction.

“We should be released, in the past when the rules have changed the quarantine disappeared and people could be released when the borders opened,” Ms Ryan said.

“It was a tough day on Tuesday, watching footage of people coming home to family and friends, I’m sitting here in Rostrevor thinking, ‘this is beyond ridiculous.’”