Man’s query over mandatory quarantine despite negative COVID test result
A Hobart man is one of about 1200 people to have travelled from COVID hotspot South Australia in recent weeks — and he has questioned one particular quarantine rule. DETAILS >>>
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Govt denies ‘secretive’ aquaculture review
- Miner death inquest resumes after ‘poorly presented’ evidence
- Here’s to 100 days, let’s hope for 100 more
LATEST, 4.37PM:
A TASMANIAN business owner caught up in the fallout of the South Australian COVID-19 cluster is nearing the end of his mandatory quarantine in Tasmania but cannot be released early despite testing negative to the virus.
Troy Trewin, of North Hobart, has just two days remaining in his quarantine period and was tested on Tuesday for COVID-19 and cleared.
Following a business trip, Mr Trewin had travelled back to Tasmania from Adelaide on the afternoon of November 7.
Initially November 9, the date two days earlier was then identified as the highest-risk period for COVID transmission and he was told he had to isolate up until 14 days from that date.
He is among an estimated 1200 arrivals from South Australia in that time, who have been told to quarantine to mitigate the risk of spreading coronavirus.
Also among them is Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield squad, because they returned from a competition hub in Adelaide within that period.
No COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Tasmania as a result of the outbreak in South Australia.
The cluster has resulted in a six-day hard lockdown to control the spread of the virus, which has been dubbed a “circuit breaker” by South Australian premier Steven Marshall.
Mr Trewin said he understood the reasons behind the blanket policy for those who had travelled to Tasmania, but was surprised at having to continue to isolate despite having had a negative test so late in the quarantine.
“I’d just like some more information, some explanation of the statistics and the science behind the Day 11 negative tests,” he said.
But Mr Trewin said he understood that officials were “swamped” with dealing with the pandemic and fielding questions from members of the public.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch on Wednesday said that despite hopes that restrictions might be eased, the measures imposed by the South Australian government required a more restrictive response.
“Our thinking is that we really do need to approach this in a broadly nationally consistent way, so the measures that we’re continuing in Tasmania are broadly consistent with the sort of approach that’s been taken in South Australia,’’ he said.
Dr Veitch this week wrote that while it had been 100 days since Tasmania last recorded a case, the state needed to remain vigilant.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the response to circumstances in South Australia showed the matter was being taken “extremely seriously”.
Mr Gutwein’s message to South Australians thinking of going to Tasmania was “don’t come”, saying it was not the right time to be travelling.
In Thursday’s Mercury, Mr Gutwein warned Tasmania’s fight against the virus was not over.
WEDNESDAY, 7.49PM:
TWO weeks quarantine has been ordered for anyone who has entered Tasmania from South Australian since November 7.
Hope of a reprieve for visitors and travellers returning from the state were dashed when the South Australian government announced a six-day lockdown to contain an outbreak in that state after five additional cases were detected.
Premier Peter Gutwein asked travellers from South Australia to stay away and said those who have arrived in Tasmania since November 7 would be required to quarantine for two weeks from their date of arrival.
People who have arrived from South Australia during that period are allowed to leave Tasmania — even if they have not completed two weeks quarantine — provided they do not have symptoms and wear a mask while in transit.
The Premier was blunt in his media conference.
“My message to South Australians that are thinking of travelling to the state at the moment is: don’t come,” Mr Gutwein said.
“This is not the right time to be travelling or moving around to your own community — and certainly it’s not the right time to be arriving in Tasmania.
“This is a challenging set of circumstances, South Australia have acted swiftly. It’s important now that we all do the right thing.
“I would say to those South Australians who were visiting our state and unfortunately being caught up in this I’m sorry for these circumstances.
“However, it’s obvious in terms of what’s occurring in South Australia that it is been taken extremely seriously.
“We are doing the same here … I would ask follow the rules and work with us and ensure we can keep our community safe.”
Mr Gutwein urged anyone who had been at premises in South Australia as being involved in the current outbreak to contact the Public Health Hotline.
The latest estimates of the number of people who have arrived in Tasmania from South Australia provided by the government is around 1200 people.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said that despite hopes yesterday that restrictions might be eased, the measures imposed by the South Australian government required a more restrictive response.
“I think they felt that the risk or the consequences of further cases would be truly awful if they if they got transmission akin to Victoria, so they’ve essentially thrown everything at it,” Dr Veitch said.
“Our thinking is that we really do need to approach this in a broadly nationally consistent way, so the measures that we’re continuing in Tasmania are broadly consistent with sort of approach that’s been taken in South Australia.”
WEDNESDAY, 4.17PM: SOUTH Australian travellers will be able to leave Tasmania to return home – so long as they wear a mask – as more than 1200 are stuck in self-isolation or quarantine.
Premier Peter Gutwein said South Australians that have been in hotspot locations between certain dates will need to phone the COVID-19 hotline and quarantine.
“In terms of those South Australians that have entered the state since November 7 who are currently self-isolating, once you have been in the state for 14 days and have remained self-isolating, then you are able to go about your business,” he said.
“If you are well and wear a mask you are also able to leave the state if you have a flight back to South Australia or out of the state.
“However we would ask you remain self-isolating until you have been in the state for 14 days.”
Anyone who has been at the Lyell McEwin Hospital from 5.30pm November 13 until 8.00am November 14, the Aquadome in Elizabeth from 11am until 1.30pm, November 14 and Woodville Pizza Bar, Woodville November 6-16, or had a delivery or takeaway from the pizza place, has been asked to contact Tasmania’s Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 and quarantine.
Mr Gutwein said to South Australians thinking of travelling to Tasmania: “don’t come”, amid the outbreak which has now infected 22 people.
Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch said there is “coherent” links in South Australia cases.
“People who have arrived since Monday... those people from both Adelaide and regional South Australia are in quarantine,” he said.
“The other group of people are people who have arrived in Tasmania from the 7th to the 16th of this month ... the risk of people who are in Tasmania now who have arrived who have arrived between the 7th and the 16th are low, but not zero.
“That’s why we want these people to self-isolate in a suitable residence, or if that’s not possible, seek support from us to go into government quarantine.”
More than 1200 people are currently in self-isolation and quarantine from South Australia.
More to come...
WEDNESDAY, 2.19PM: PREMIER Peter Gutwein will update Tasmania on the latest COVID-19 measures ahead of South Australia’s six-day lockdown.
South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall implemented the Victoria-style lockdown earlier today, only allowing one member of a household to leave for groceries.
Weddings and funerals have been cancelled for the duration of the lockdown.
About 900 travellers from South Australia entered Tasmania since November 7 when the outbreak began.
Those 900 have been communicated with by text message and some travellers were pulled off the iconic Three Capes Track to be placed in hotel quarantine.
TUESDAY, 6.15PM:
SOME travellers ordered into quarantine because of a COVID-19 hotspot in South Australia could be allowed out as soon as Wednesday, as the outbreak appeared to contained, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said.
The state government requested all travellers who arrived in Tasmania from November 7 to November 15 to self-isolate at home or in their hotel rooms.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW SA BORDER RULES >>
But in a scheduled update Mr Gutwein said the situation in South Australia appeared to be under control and that quarantine request could be lifted soon.
“For those that are already self-isolating that have been visiting us from South Australia or Tasmanians who have returned home from South Australia in that period we would ask that they self-isolate for another 24 hours,” he said.
“Subject to circumstances continuing favourably, as the advice is from South Australia, we would hope that as of tomorrow that those visitors will be able to return to their normal activities.
“Those visitors that are with us from South Australia, if their trip is ending and they have a flight booked out of the state then they were send instructions yesterday, so that wearing a mask they can exit the state.”
People who arrived in Tasmania on or after Monday, when South Australia was declared medium risk, are being required to quarantine at home or in a government-designated hotel at least until the end of the week when further advice is expected.
Mr Gutwein said he expected to provide further updates on the Tasmanian government's response to the South Australian outbreak’s daily over the coming days.
Mr Gutwein said South Australia would continue to be designated a medium risk location for the time being, but that be wound back as more information came to hand.
“That might pivot to where we put in place geographical restrictions,” he said.
“Obviously this is an outbreak in the northern suburbs of Adelaide regional South Australia and it will be treated differently but again we will take the advice, noting that some of the locations are up to 30-odd kilometres outside of the centre of the CBD of Adelaide.”
And Mr Gutwein said it was an appropriate and proportionate response to order South Australia walkers off the Three Capes Track bushwalk.
“I think it’s at the end of the day, one of those walkers turns out to be COVID positive it would have been a very good response.
“We take our role very seriously, at the end of the day it was determined that was appropriate.”
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said around 1200 people had arrived in Tasmania from South Australia in the last ten days, which is the period of most concern to health authorities.
He said authorities in that state were handling the outbreak appropriately.
“They’ve got a little way to go until they’re at a point of confidence that they’re completely contained it but they’re getting substantially on top of it.”
He again urged people with even mild respiratory symptoms to get tested for coronavirus.
TUESDAY, 2.20PM:
PREMIER Peter Gutwein has defended a decision to extract South Australian walkers from Tasmania’s wilderness yesterday.
Mr Gutwein also warned travellers that the medium-risk classification for South Australia – which will allow travellers into Tasmania but require them to isolate – will remain in place for at least a week.
“For those who are already self-isolating that are visiting us from South Australia or Tasmanians who have isolated since returning home, we would ask they isolate for another 24 hours,” he said.
“Subject to circumstances continuing favourably, we would hope those visitors would be able to return to their normal activities (soon).”
Mr Gutwein said if anyone needs any assistance to contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.
“I just want to say to those South Australian visitors who are with us that I’m sorry for the disruption but I am certain they understand the challenges we are all dealing with here,” Mr Gutwein said.
Those self isolating will receive further advice whether they need to continue isolating or what the next steps are tomorrow.
Mr Gutwein said medium-risk jurisdiction classification for South Australia will remain in place for the rest of the week, however this may ease to a “geographical” restriction after further advice is received from South Australia’s contact tracing team.
REWATCH THE UPDATE >>
“We lifted South Australia to medium risk, we put it at a medium alert level, we are going to maintain that,” he said.
“That might pivot to where we put in place geographical restrictions … Regional South Australia might be able to be treated differently.
“We will remain on medium alert, I would expect we would provide daily updates over the coming days.”
Mr Gutwein also defended the decision to extract several walkers from the Three Capes Track yesterday, saying if it caught one case of COVID-19, it would all be worth it.
“At the end of the day if one of those walkers turns out to be COVID-positive it would be a very good response,” he said.
“We take our role here very seriously, at the end of the day it was determined that was an appropriate thing to do and it was done.”
More to come...
Originally published as Man’s query over mandatory quarantine despite negative COVID test result
‘Loveable larrikin’: young dad and farmer remembered
A popular young Tasmanian farmer, father and star sportsman killed in a car crash is being fondly remembered. Read the tribute.
West Coast smoke could reach as far as Devonport
Smoke is sweeping across the west and north-west coasts as firefighters face another day battling blazes in the region.