SA Health says medi-hotel orders for overseas arrivals under review

Celebrity travellers have slammed SA Health for backtracking on home quarantine promises, but the Premier says it’s the new variant which has reintroduced the shutdowns.

Premier Steven Marshall says travellers approved for home quarantine had been forced into medi-hotels without warning because of the “changed” situation presented by the Omicron variant.

But he said he would not comment on individual cases, despite scathing comments from celebrity travellers caught in the state’s latest border confusion and ordered into hotels despite previously being approved to isolate at home.

“People would have been approved to do the seven days at home but there was that changed situation and we have made that really clear,” Mr Marshall said.

“Those who are coming from interstate who are unvaccinated will need to complete a two week quarantine.

“Our preferred option is for people to be quarantined at home, we are pretty cautious at the moment with the Omicron situation.

“With all the conflicting information coming in from all around the world that is why we went from seven days back up to the 14.”

Police and Medical staff around the Peppers Waymouth Hotel. Picture: Matt Turner.

It comes as SA Health plans a new review of processes which see international arrivals in South Australia ushered straight to a medi hotel despite being approved for home quarantine.

International arrivals who touched down in Adelaide until November 27 with pre-approval to home quarantine were able to travel directly from the airport to that residence.

But out of an “abundance of caution” in relation to the Covid-19 Omicron variant, the rules changed from November 28.

“International arrivals have been taken to a medi-hotel for a short period of time to allow for assessment of the suitability of the home quarantine arrangement and to ensure testing compliance,” an SA Health statement said.

“The processes at the airport are being reviewed to support travellers approved to home quarantine to safely transit directly home as well as ensuring testing upon disembarkation of the flight and these are anticipated to be in place by the end of this week.”

Among the people caught up in the change of rules were former prime minister Julia Gillard, and pro golfer Wade Ormsby.

Ms Gillard was released after returning a negative test result.

Ormsby posted a scathing tweet, saying SA Health provided “zero information”.

“Welcome home to South Australia this morning from Singapore,” he said.

“Jammed on a bus, sent to hotel quarantine, pre approved for home quarantine as I’m double vaxxed and qualify via criteria set by out government.”

Premier Steven Marshall at a Covid press conference at the State Administration Centre. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Welcome home to South Australia this morning from Singapore. Jammed on a bus, sent to hotel quarantine. Pre approved for home quarantine as I’m double vaxxed and qualify via criteria set by our government. Completed entry check SA and approved. Zero information. @SAHealth 🤷🏽‍♂️

— Wade Ormsby (@wadeormsby) December 6, 2021

It comes as a Adelaide Covid positive man urged authorities to overhaul the process of moving positive cases straight to a medi-hotel in SA.

Matthew Zubrinich said he was “double vaccinated but imprisoned” after an ambulance with an unmarked police car ushered him to Tom’s Court Medi Hotel on Thursday evening after he returned a positive result to Covid-19.

“If you’re going to let Covid in you have to learn to live with it, you can’t just rip families apart every time someone gets Covid,” he said.