Arthur Gorrie prison officers forced into own COVID
Officers at a Brisbane jail are being forced into their own COVID captivity, with notices telling some they should be doing nothing other than going to their home and work, or face a huge fine, amid the state’s prison coronavirus crisis.
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PRISON officers are being forced into their own COVID-19 ‘prison bubble’ that bans them from doing anything other than going to their home and work amid the state’s prison coronavirus crisis.
The Courier-Mail has obtained notices which direct some Arthur Gorrie staff to only go to work and their homes or face fines of up to $13,345.
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It comes after unrest at the state’s remand centre and other jails after Queensland Corrective Services was forced to lock down jails after officers who were at the QCS training academy tested positive.
Two Arthur Gorrie officers who were at the training academy later worked shifts at the jail.
After the lockdown prisoners trashed cells and units and lit fires. It’s unclear how many staff have the COVID-19 quarantine directions.
“You are permitted to leave your stated place of quarantine for the purpose of undertaking work at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre,” conditions of the quarantine direction state.
“Travel to the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre must be the most direct route and without stopping.”
The other conditions state the officers must have been tested with a negative result, have no symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and wear PPE at all times at work.
“And remain in quarantine at home at all other times,” the directive says.
Some officers are unhappy about the directive.
“You can’t go to shops, you can’t go anywhere,” an officer said.
“You can go to work. But you have to stay at home in case you give it to someone.”
Together Union industrial services director Michael Thomas said the union, which represents the officers, was seeking urgent clarification about the directives.
“Our priority is making sure we do not see the spread of COVID-19,” Mr Thomas told The Courier-Mail.
“We have concerns about how this modified quarantine order can be practically applied.
“We are seeking advice from the chief health officer for clarification as to how it will be applied.”
Queensland Health did not specifically respond to a number of questions but a spokesperson said health and safety of all Queenslanders, including officers and prisoners at jails, was their number one priority.
“After a confirmed case of COVID-19 at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre (AGCC), some staff were identified as close contacts,” the spokesperson said.
“As per the same public health processes that apply across the state these staff were issued with quarantine directions.
“People in quarantine are required to remain in their home or nominated place of quarantine for 14 days, but after careful consideration of the risks as well as the situational and operational requirements of the AGCC, some corrections officers were granted special conditions on their quarantine directions to enable them to travel directly to and from their place of work and home.
“These directions and conditions are not in place for all staff at AGCC, just those considered close contacts.”
A Queensland Corrective Services spokesman said there was a significant stockpile of PPE at each jail as well as a central stockpile.
“We also have robust supply arrangements with suppliers,” the spokesman said.
“We are closely monitoring PPE usage and proactively replenishing supplies.
“If any officer feels they do not have appropriate access to PPE they should speak to their supervisor or General Manager.”
