New test for hotel quarantine as international flights resume

International flights will return to Melbourne on April 8. Here’s how the state government plans to fix the disaster-prone hotel quarantine program.

International arrivals will return to Melbourne on April 8, with improved hotel quarantine to accept up to 800 travellers a week.

Acting Premier James Merlino has asked national cabinet to consider letting some travellers quarantine at home.

The state is expected to record its 28th consecutive day without a new local case of coronavirus on Friday.

Mr Merlino on Wednesday announced the resumption of the hotel quarantine after the government received advice on mutant coronavirus strains and ventilation in hotels.

Guests in the program will now be tested four times during their stay, including on day 14, while hotels will be upgraded to end the risk of spread.

Returned travellers will be contacted on day 16, once they have left the system, to check for symptoms and medical professionals could recommend further tests on day 17 and 21.

Among the documents considered by the government was a review by Safer Care Victoria of three separate outbreaks within hotel quarantine in January and February.

Investigators found the use of a nebuliser by a guest had led to the Holiday Inn cluster and identified rooms in other hotels that may have been “positively pressured”, with air flowing out into the corridor.

This could then have contributed to mystery cases involving staff or guests further away. Public health officials found ventilation systems in some hotels would probably need to meet higher standards, with upgrades under way.

The Holiday Inn was the scene of Victoria’s most recent COVID outbreak.

“We’ve taken the action and time necessary to ensure we have the most rigorous quarantine system possible in place to protect against these highly infectious, rapidly changing variants of concern,” Mr Merlino said.

“The challenges of this virus will be with us for some time to come. That’s why we’ve listened to the advice of experts and made the necessary changes to ensure we’re keeping Victorians safe.”

From April 15, the cap of 800 travellers a week cap will lift to 1120.

The government will consider with other states whether a small portion of this could be set aside for economic arrivals, such as international students or workers in high demand.

The Andrews government also announced on Thursday it had accepted all 12 new recommendations handed down by Justice Jennifer Coate’s final report into the program.

Travellers arriving from overseas will still be quarantined in hotels.

This will include asking national cabinet to consider allowing guests to quarantine at home and for states to agree on fresh-air break rules.

National cabinet has already tasked top bureaucrats with assessing how the vaccine is changing Australia’s risk profile, and what changes may be needed. But the Herald Sun understands the federal government has no plans to allow returning travellers to quarantine at home.

Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said Victorians would struggle to trust the system.

A shortlist of 10 sites has been selected for a new hotel quarantine hub that could house returned travellers away from Melbourne’s CBD.

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PURPOSE BUILT SITES

A shortlist of 10 sites has been selected for a new hotel quarantine hub that could house returned travellers away from Melbourne’s CBD.

Each location, believed to include proposals at Melbourne and Avalon airports, will be assessed and narrowed down to one location in a final business case.

Part of the planning process will focus on how the hub could be used for other emergency needs.

When asked why one location would be chosen, Mr Merlino said it was vital to set up the facility to a realistic scale.

“The question of what other uses there are for this facility is an important one as well,” he said.

“We live in a state and a country that’s subject to bushfires and floods and I think its important that where we land is something that would work in a pandemic sense but also work for other crises.

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

The Andrews Government has also released Deputy chief health officer Professor Allen Cheng’s review into coronavirus variants.

The report call for all hotel quarantine staff to receive at least a first dose of the vaccine, with at least 4000 frontline workers vaccinated so far.

Prof Cheng also called on COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria and the Department of Health to clarify who was responsible for key roles such as contact tracing and issuing detention notices for return travellers.

He said it was not clear whether it was ventilation issues or the strength of the coronavirus variants which had contributed to leaks.

“There’s more than one factor and it’s never really one thing,” he said.

“There’s not really a smoking gun in that sense.

“It is about putting layers of protection in place to make sure things are safe.”

FINAL REPORT FEEDBACK

Home-based quarantine systems will be floated at national cabinet as part of Victoria’s response to the hotel quarantine inquiry.

THE final 12 recommendations made by the inquiry into the bungled program have been accepted by the state government.

This includes an agreement to fix the issues in oversight and decision making exposed by the probe led by Justice Jennifer Coate.

The government will review the State Emergency Management Plan and the structure of command surrounding its response to any public health crisis.

Starting in 2022, the Department of Health will run annual pandemic planning exercises.

Other recommendations will also be taken to national cabinet because they require support from the Commonwealth.

Mr Merlino has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking that all state consider the potential to quarantine return travellers at home.

Other issues include nationally agreed rules for fresh air breaks and improved records tracking the details of those who return to the country.

National cabinet has already tasked top bureaucrats with assessing how the vaccine is changing Australia’s risk profile, and whether that means policy settings on issues including quarantine can be adjusted.

The Herald Sun understands the federal government currently has no plans to allow returning travellers to quarantine at home.

Any change would need to be based on advice from the national medical expert panel.

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