Howard Springs security guards ‘pose no risk’ of coronavirus infection or spread, authorities say

SECURITY staff working at Howard Springs ‘pose no danger’ of contracting and spreading coronavirus to the wider community when not at the facility, authorities say

SECURITY staff working at Howard Springs pose no danger of contracting and spreading coronavirus to the wider community or while working other jobs in the community, NT health officials say.

It comes after alarm bells rang in Darwin resident Michelle Henson’s head, when her Uber driver told her he also worked as a guard at the centre.

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“We just casually made conversation with the driver, if he had another job and when he told us … we looked at each other and thought ‘oh my God, is this actually safe?,” she said.

“Someone working at Howard Springs ... shouldn't they be limiting their contact with the public? We were worried we’d potentially been put at risk.”

A COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre spokeswoman said security staff, who were managed by Northern Territory Police and Welfare Group, had no interaction with those at risk of being infected with coronavirus at the quarantine facility.

“As part of strict infection control measures at the Howard Springs quarantine facility, security staff only work in the green zone of the centre and do not have access to the zones that accommodate people undertaking quarantine,” she said.

“Security staff have no contact with the people undertaking quarantine at the facility.”

Security staff did not have other work set out for them while working at Howard Springs by their security firm and had a number of other precautionary measures in place.

“Security staff are required to follow stringent infection control measures as part of their employment at Howard Springs quarantine facility,” she said.

“Staff also do not work on any other jobs for the security firm they are employed by.

“In addition, security staff are required to undergo a temperature check every time they enter the Howard Springs quarantine facility, must have a weekly COVID-19 test and undertake PPE training fortnightly.”

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Ms Henson said while it was all safe, the public still needed to be aware of the protocols so they didn’t jump to the wrong conclusions.

Originally published as Howard Springs security guards ‘pose no risk’ of coronavirus infection or spread, authorities say