Let us come home: The faces of those frustrated with SA’s quarantine rules

They’ve suffered months of delays and heartbreaking set-backs. But could light finally be at the end of the tunnel for our locked-out South Aussies?

They’ve endured months of heartache as hard-border closures have torn families apart.

These are the voices that represent the collective frustration of South Australians over the rules of entry – and re-entry – to our state when borders finally open on November 23.

Many are pleading to come home or be reunited with family who want to travel here from interstate.

And those here wanted certainty that if they leave SA, they won’t have to quarantine for 14 days on their return.

Details of a pre-registration process have now been revealed.

And despite state government assurances that people coming from the Melbourne and Sydney city council areas won’t have to quarantine – pledging a data anomaly that significantly underreports jab rates in those areas has been been fixed today – confusion still reigned for many.

Megan Taylor:

I would like to travel to Melbourne and back to Adelaide to see my deteriorating 82-year-old grandmother who is in aged care but I can’t figure out the requirements as they are so unclear. I’m all for keeping everyone safe, I got the vaccine as soon as I could, I just want a clear answer on when I can see my best friend and what I will need to do once I return.

Megan Taylor

Donna Lee Singleton

Simone Gen:

I’d like to be able to return home for Christmas with my partner (also from SA) to see our family and friends. We think we’re allowed in without having to quarantine with the new rules, but we regularly go into the Yarra LGA, which has stats saying its population is under the 80 per cent double vaxxed threshold. There still doesn’t seem to be clarification on whether we’ll have to isolate or we can enter SA based on our LGA’s vaccine rate.

Nadia Rossi:

I want to return to SA after not seeing my family for 10 months. However, SA Health’s LGA rule about being 80 per cent vaxxed seems illogical, confusing and ineffectual.

Donna Lee Singleton:

There are so many people (like myself) who rely on South Australia’s hospitals and specialists. Not being able to get across a border for an appointment or surgery or follow up isn’t ok, myself and multiple others have gone with out follow up appointments since having major surgery, which shouldn’t happen. I am only just across the border in NSW but my entire family all live in SA it is my home and always will be. Not being able to get there has effected me mentally and emotionally, I know so many others in the same situation we want to see our elderly grandparents/parents/family members.

Steve Hill:

I would like to visit my family for Christmas, especially my mother who has moved into care over Covid. The ability to cross the border from Victoria has been extremely limited even though myself, my wife and two children are fully vaccinated. The different requirements between states seems to be always in flux and we need to know just what is required to drive between Melbourne, Adelaide and Clare. Just last week, we entertained a friend from Vancouver who visited his mother for her 80th here in Melbourne, but we can’t cross a state border here. We need to be united and brought back together as one..!

Chloe Danvers:

It’s been a really hard year and I have missed out on a lot including recently my grandfather’s funeral. I just really want to have Christmas with my family after not being in Adelaide since early March.

Chloe Danvers

Di Black

Danielle Gidding

Steve Hill

Di Black:

We plan to cross from Victoria on November 23rd to return to home in SA. We have been to our daughter’s Navy graduation and are now waiting it out in our caravan to be able to return home. I will be needing to attend chemotherapy and my doctor is awaiting more information from SA health about how I will be able to attend a high risk hospital setting.

Anne Lunnay:

My husband and I want to visit family in Adelaide and Mt Gambier. My mother-in-law passed away two months ago and we could not visit. Planning on crossing border from Victoria on 27th Nov.

Amanda Wilkin:

My daughter lives with us in SA but her dad lives in Warrnambool she wants to go visit him and his family for Christmas then come home to SA.

Danielle Giddings:

I’m coming to SA to see my adult son, parents, 93-year-old grandmother and other relatives. My uncle passed and I unable to attend funeral, so want to see family.

Originally published as Let us come home: The faces of those frustrated with SA’s quarantine rules