SA Premier defends forcing Olympians into double quarantine for 28 days

The Premier has defended the “tough” decision to force quarantining Olympians to isolate again after arriving in SA, saying the rules were there to protect all South Australians.

Olympic officials are attacking South Australia for being the only state to force athletes into a 28-day quarantine period after they return home from the Tokyo games.

In a decision condemned by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), 16 athletes now quarantining in Sydney will be required by SA Health to isolate for another fortnight, though they can apply to quarantine at home.

SA officials have defended the decision, saying it was a “tough” one that had been made to protect the whole of South Australia.

It is understood gold medal-winning rower Alexander Hill, whose family is from Loxton, is among those affected and Paralympians are now bracing for similar treatment.

Gold medallist rowers (L-R) Spencer Turrin, Alexander Hill, Alexander Purnell and Jack Hargreaves hold up their medals after landing in Sydney from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

SA Premier Steven Marshall said he agreed it was a “devastating” and “heartbreaking” situation but rules had been changed following the Modbury cluster outbreak.

“We can’t have one set of rules for one group of people and a completely different set for others,” Mr Marshall told ABC Radio Adelaide on Thursday morning.

Later on Thursday Mr Marshall said SA’s chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier had agonised over the decision.

“We advised the Australian Olympic Committee last month about our changed situation following the Modbury case,” he said at a health presser to announce all people aged 16 to 39 in SA will be eligible to book a Pfizer vaccine as of Monday.

“Everybody coming from Sydney has to abide by this. This is a tough rule but these are the rules that have helped keep us protected,” he said.

Mr Marshall said the Delta variant in NSW had sparked the Modbury cluster, and the state remained on high alert over the rising number of cases there.

The Modbury cluster, which triggered SA’s seven-day lockdown in July, started when a partially vaccinated man returned from Sydney, after testing negative there. He completed 14 days quarantine – 10 of which were spent in hospital after a fall.

NSW recorded 345 more cases on Thursday, with another two deaths.

“The reality is the situation in NSW has further deteriorated since this person (elderly man) was in NSW,” Mr Marshall said.

“It is tough. We apologise that it’s tough but our primary responsibility is to keep our state safe and our economy strong.”

Professor Spurrier said it was a difficult decision.

“The Australian Olympic Committee weren’t able to set up a sterile corridor to get those athletes back. It’s a very difficult situation, we appreciate how difficult it is.

“That’s why SA Health has been working with the athletes to see whether they can undertake quarantine at home.

“We don’t want a further lockdown in South Australia. We’re on high alert so we are looking at all those vectors. The Delta variant is a killer”.

EARLIER

AOC chief executive officer Matt Carroll said the fully vaccinated SA athletes, who he did not name, were the only ones to have a 28-day quarantine period inflicted upon them at a time of mental and emotional vulnerability.

Of 56 SA Olympians who have returned from the Tokyo games, 16 are isolating in four Sydney hotels but the AOC fears border closures will mean those quarantining in Melbourne and Brisbane will be subjected to the same impost.

“While other countries are celebrating the return of their athletes, we are subjecting ours to the most cruel and uncaring treatment. They are being punished for proudly representing their country with distinction at the Olympic Games,” said Mr Carroll.

“We are all promoting the obvious benefits of vaccination, but this important layer of protection is not working in favour of these athletes, given this decision. By any measure, this group of returning Olympians is extremely low risk.

“Not only are our Olympians fully vaccinated, but they have also been living in a highly controlled bubble in Tokyo, taking the upmost precautions – tested daily over many weeks.”

The AOC stressed the Olympic team was undergoing the same mandatory quarantine requirements as any other Australian and no special treatment had been sought.

Former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth said the situation was inexplicable.

“I know how hard the @AUSOlympicTeam medical staff worked to keep the team COVID free. This decision by SA is a slap in the face to them and the athletes who competed in these games,” Dr Coatsworth posted on Twitter.

I know how hard the @AUSOlympicTeam medical staff worked to keep the team COVID free. This decision by SA is a slap in the face to them and the athletes who competed in these games. #covidzero is an addictive and vindictive policy when taken to these extremes #auspol

— Dr. Nick Coatsworth (@nick_coatsworth) August 11, 2021

It is understood even Western Australia, which has become renowned for stringent border controls, is not requiring athletes isolating in Sydney to quarantine for another fortnight after returning to that state.

Mr Carroll said the AOC had followed SA Health’s exemption process, submitting medical evidence based on highly qualified advice, but was on Wednesday told the athletes would have to apply to quarantine at home, with no certainty of approval.

Members of the Australian Olympic team arrive at their hotel for quarantine in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

“We have received no explanation as to why our application on behalf of these athletes has been rejected. If you run an exemption process, presumably that includes the prospect that exemptions can be granted based on scientific advice. We have received no response related to the expert advice we have provided,” Mr Carroll said.

“Athletes subject to home quarantine will not be permitted a welcome-home hug. Either the athlete’s family must move away, the athlete must find a way of isolating from the family or the entire family goes into quarantine.

“That is not an acceptable option for someone who is fully vaccinated and who has already just completed two weeks’ quarantine.”

SA in July agreed to trial a landmark federal plan to allow fully vaccinated travellers returning from overseas to quarantine at home.

The AOC says the South Australian Government's decision to ignore expert medical advice and the decision of National Cabinet by imposing a 28 day period for returning Australian Olympians poses a significant mental health risk for those athletes.https://t.co/V1Xk6StO0X

— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) August 11, 2021

Australian Institute of Sport chief medical officer David Hughes said he respected the SA process designed to keep the state safe but argued the decision to reject the athletes’ application was profoundly flawed.

“To have individuals quarantined for such a lengthy period of time is, in my opinion, unreasonable and cannot be scientifically justified. It poses a significant risk to the physical and mental wellbeing of the individuals concerned,” Dr Hughes said.

While the AOC did not reveal the affected athletes’ identities, men’s 100m freestyle silver medallist Kyle Chalmers is quarantining at Darwin’s Howard Springs centre.

Originally published as SA Premier defends forcing Olympians into double quarantine for 28 days