Coronavirus Australia: Australians isolated in hotels hit back at critics, say they’ve been ‘abandoned’
Australians forced to quarantine in hotels have hit back at “cruel” critics who have said they are whingeing and claimed they’ve been “abandoned”.
An Australian returning from overseas who is now being forced to isolate in an international hotel has hit back at claims they are grumbling at five-star accommodation, branding their critics as “cruel”.
Hotel guests that news.com.au has spoken to have said they understand they need to be in isolation, and it could be worse elsewhere. But they have said the government is making the enforced lock up worse with late or non-existent deliveries of vital medicines, the lack of any mental health support or fresh air or even anyone to ask questions of.
“I get the reasons why we are here, but we feel not just physically isolated but abandoned,” said one guest.
RELATED: Quarantined cruise passengers complaints at Sydney Swissotel
RELATED: Follow the latest coronavirus updates
Others have said the Ruby Princess fiasco, where 162 passengers who were let off the ship later tested positive for coronavirus, had led the authorities to crackdown harder than necessary on subsequent arrivals.
From Saturday, all Australians returning from overseas have been forced to self-isolate in hotels for 14 days, rather than back at home.
Today, Lara Worthington tweeted images of a dark and dank looking hotel bedroom in Sydney’s inner west that her 63-year-old mother is being forced to isolate in saying it was “unacceptable”.
I don’t think this looks like a 5 star accommodation to me. The next 14 days here for my 63 year old mum who is showing heavy symptoms. This is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/MzPyXAj23Y
— Lara Worthington (@MsLWorthington) March 30, 2020
However, in practice, the Government has been forcing select groups of travellers into hotels from before that.
Sue and Allan Haigh are two of almost 300 passengers who were on-board the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship which docked in Sydney last week. The couple are now holed up in the city’s luxury Swissotel hotel after a cruise of the South Pacific, which they commenced before the pandemic was declared, turned into a nightmare after country-after-country barred them entry.
They eventually sailed to Hawaii where from where they flew home to Sydney.
Ms Haigh said she cried tears of relief when she finally boarded the Qantas jet.
“Then the captain told us that in Sydney we would have to go into a hotel for 14 days and I started crying again; I just wanted to go home to Melbourne,” she said.
So far, none of her fellow passengers has tested positive for the virus.
‘SOME PEOPLE ARE CRUEL’
Ms Haigh said the Swissotel staff were “lovely” and she had no complaints about the food or the room. She didn’t even particularly mind the fact she has no key to the room, is allowed no deliveries aside groceries and a police office is stationed outside her door at all times.
“People say we are in a five-star hotel and shouldn’t be whingeing. And I know it’s something that has to be done (to prevent the virus spreading). We’re not ungrateful and we know people are a lot worse off.”
But Ms Haigh said she was dismayed by reports residents in the apartments above their rooms had complained cruise ship passengers were using the same lifts. Yet everyone in isolation has only used the lift once – to get to their rooms – and that was a service elevator, she said.
“Some people can be so cruel. They say we are living in the lap of luxury but if I was home at least I could get some air in my backyard,” she said.
“I can put up with everything but the thought of no fresh air is a worry. We’re only five days in so it’s just going to get worse.”
Fresh air isn’t specifically barred for those in isolation. News.com.au has seen documentation given to arrivals that states they “may” have access to outdoor spaces and so long as they wear a mask, but that would “depend on your accommodation”. No one news.com.au has spoken too has any access to outdoor spaces and no windows can open.
Ms Haigh said she was also concerned about her and her husband’s medication – including insulin and blood pressure tablets, the latter of which she ran out of last Thursday.
Over at the Hyatt Regency overlooking Darling Harbour, hundreds of passengers from the last Qantas plane from London for weeks, possibly months, are getting used to their new digs after having arrived last night.
“We got a police escort to our room and for someone who has never had real engagement with the police it’s pretty intimidating,” one woman, who didn’t want to be named, said.
LACK OF MEDS
It wasn’t just about being quarantined in hotels, she said. Many of those who have arrived have already been through lockdowns abroad and seen flights cancelled at the last minute as they struggled to reach Australia.
“It’s been pretty heartbreaking. A huge nightmare with so much stress and uncertainty to get home. No one is in a good place mentally.”
Like the Haighs, she said she understood why she was in isolation and had no complaints about the room. But aside from locking people up and leaving food by the door, little else seemed to have been organised.
“I have a script that needs to be filled in the next 48 hours and no can tell me how to do that,” she said.
She said it was unclear which organisation – NSW Health, NSW Police or Border Force – had responsibility for them and who they could ask questions of for help given they were unable to leave their rooms.
“Reception are triaging calls and its not the hotel’s job to do that,” she said.
The only advice she had been given to was to call the NSW Health switchboard.
“I just want a liaison point we can ask questions of, someone who can tell me the rules about all of this. Who can tell me how to get a script delivered, or some groceries?
“I get the public policy reasons why we are here; I totally understand why we’re doing this. But it’s the logistics around it and the lack of recognition that it’s a real mental health challenge to be locked in for 14 days.
“It’s one thing being physically isolated but being isolated from any support is exacerbating the situation. You feel abandoned.”
News.com.au has contacted NSW Health, which passed on the inquiry to NSW Police.
On the weekend, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the arrivals would be treated fairly but they would have to comply with the quarantine rules.
“I know they will be people who are unhappy with the bed, the pillow, the heater, dinner and all those types of things,” Mr Fuller said.
“The reality is they are in a hotel room, and yes, they will be isolated for 14 days. That is for their own protection, the protection of their family members and the protection of the NSW community.”
Ms Haigh said she felt arrivals had to put up with draconian rules “because they mucked up with the Ruby Princess” and the authorities wanted to look tough.
But she was resigned to her enforced stay in a major hotel.
“I’m not going to do a runner. So, I’ll just have to suck it up.”
‘Problem’: Joyce’s revealing cancer insight
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has shared a revealing insight into a troubling symptom he was enduring before being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Wild truth about farts that will shock you
An Australian doctor has let rip on a huge myth about your bathroom habits and the truth might shock you.
‘Masculine’ habit that has gripped teen boys
There are health concerns for a “masculine” new trend linked to grim health issues as rates show it has nearly doubled among teens.