Quarantined Western Australia travellers to be released early from hotels

The Queensland government has announced that returned travellers from Western Australia could be released from hotel quarantine as early as noon on Tuesday.

The Queensland government has announced that returned travellers from Western Australia could be released from hotel quarantine as early as noon Tuesday.

Starting at midday, anyone who was quarantined because of their interstate travels can leave if they have returned at least one negative COVID-19 test, have not attended any of the venues linked to three Western Australia cases, provide contact details for the further 14 days since they entered quarantine and agree to test and isolate if they develop any symptoms.

Western Australia announced it will ease restrictions at 12am Tuesday after reporting no new cases linked to a quarantine hotel guest in Perth. Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young welcomed the news saying it meant Queensland could begin moving people out of hotel quarantine.

People who have been in the Perth or Peel regions on or since April 17 are not allowed to attend aged care or disability residential facilities, hospitals or prisons unless they obtained an exemption for an end-of-life visit or it had been 14 days since they left Western Australia.

“WA has done an excellent job of containing their cases to just three,” Dr Young said.

“Once they went into lockdown, Queensland, like other states, acted swiftly with an abundance of caution to limit any risk of transmission here. We know prevention measures can be inconvenient, but they are necessary to protect Queenslanders.”

Adrian (pictured) was on flight VA469 alongside veteran David. They have been sent to quarantine at the Pullman and Novotel transit hotels. Photo: Steve Pohlner/ Google Images

A Vietnam veteran placed into hotel quarantine due to a delayed Virgin flight said he was ecstatic to learn he could be released on Tuesday.

David, who asked for his last name not be published, was on delayed Flight VA469 from Perth to Brisbane on Friday night.

The 73-year-old former Infantry soldier said he was “totally stunned” to learn the Queensland Government had updated border requirements during the flight and he was advised he would spend the next 14 days in hotel quarantine at the Novotel.

“I thought it wasn’t true and they couldn’t possibly do that,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have gone home if I knew we were facing 14 days of quarantine. I would have made other arrangements.”

The almost six-hour delay meant the flight arrived at 1.30am rather than 8.10pm.

Virgin Australia blamed “engineering matters”.

David said he was confused as to why Queensland’s border closure began at 12am on Saturday when Perth’s lockdown began two hours later.

The decision was set to have a huge impact on the following two weeks for an estimated 150 passengers and David described it as a “bureaucratic bungle”.

COVID-19 restrictions meant the Yeronga man spent last year’s ANZAC Day at home and his surprise quarantine stay meant he couldn’t even open a window this year.

The veteran who spent most of his 12 months in Vietnam in the jungle said he had never missed a service before the pandemic.

“ANZAC Day means a lot to me,” David said.

“It was sad being in a quarantine hotel.

“And while other travellers make a decision to quarantine, we had no time to mentally prepare.

“I can understand why people get very distressed during 14 days of this.”

David was tested for COVID-19 on Monday and was eager to receive his results.

Adrian was on a Virgin flight from Perth that arrived just after quarantine cut off. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Fellow passenger Adrian, who first spoke to The Courier-Mail on Sunday, said he also received a surprise knock on the door of his Pullman hotel room on Monday afternoon for a test.

Queensland recorded two new COVID-19 cases today, both detected in hotel quarantine.

The state has recorded a total of 1,532 cases.