Quarantine skipped: Man flies in from US but avoids hotel quarantine in Melbourne

A man who flew from overseas to visit a relative in Melbourne was able to avoid hotel quarantine, in a case that has raised questions about COVID-19 checks.

A man who flew from the US to Melbourne to visit a relative in palliative care was able to skip quarantine.

The breach of COVID-19 rules happened on September 24 when the traveller arrived in Sydney and then boarded a flight to Melbourne.

After landing, the man went straight to a family member’s home.

He alerted the Department of Health and Human Services and health officials were then sent to escort him from the relatives’ home to the hospital to visit another family member.

From there he was directed to mandatory quarantine.

The incident occurred while Victoria’s hotel quarantine program was suspended.

It has raised questions about how a traveller who arrived on an international flight could board a connection to Melbourne without going into two weeks hotel quarantine.

It’s understood the man had been granted approval to travel to Melbourne on compassionate ground to see his sick relative.

However, the DHHS said it did not have confirmation of the passenger’s flight details to Melbourne.

A state government spokeswoman said since the incident, the hotel quarantine program had been completely overhauled.

A new agency – COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria – has been set up, led by Corrections Commissioner Emma Cassar, who reports to Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville.

“These new structures, standards and measures encourage a culture of transparency and openness,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.

“All staff are highly trained, and are encouraged and supported to raise any issues or risks, so they can be acted on quickly.

“These changes have been made to help protect return travellers, staff and ultimately the wider Victorian community.”

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