Covid flight passengers to be released after Queensland slammed for isolation rule

Dozens of flight passengers who faced spending Christmas in isolation will now be released from hotel quarantine in Queensland.

Dozens of flight passengers thrown into hotel quarantine after a positive Covid detection on their flights into Queensland will now be released, after the state faced furious backlash.

All passengers aboard at least two Virgin flights – VA1105 from Newcastle to Brisbane and VA375 from Brisbane to Townsville – were deemed close contacts of a person with the virus on Tuesday night and ordered to isolate for 14 days, regardless of negative test results or vaccination status.

The exposure also included Townsville and Brisbane Airports.

But news.com.au has confirmed the vast majority will now be deemed casual contacts by the Queensland Government. That means they will be tested and released from quarantine.

The vast majority of passengers, who faced spending Christmas in quarantine, will now be able to spend the holidays with their families.

However, passengers who sat in close proximity to the infected passenger will be asked to remain in quarantine for the full 14 days.

Elaborating on the change of mind, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath told reporters during today’s update that there’d “been contact with other chief health officers and health officials interstate to see how states are dealing with this based on national guidelines”.

“I’ve been advised this morning that the chief health officer and the deputies have reviewed that we can apply the normal rules in relation to these flights and we don’t need to wait until we get the findings of whether it’s Omicron because, if it is, we still will apply these rules,” she said.

“That means that other than those people – who will be directly advised they are close contacts, because they were either part of the travelling party or sitting immediately around this individual – the remainder of the passengers will be deemed to be a casual contact.”

All passengers aboard at least two Virgin flights have been deemed close contacts of a person with the virus. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Police check border passes at the Brisbane Airport. Picture: Brad Fleet

The rule – no doubt intended to help the Sunshine State quash any potential outbreaks that could threaten the festive season – was called out by many, asking what the purpose is of only allowing fully-vaccinated travellers from hot spots in if they still have to potentially spend a fortnight in isolation.

“Flights have been going between NSW and Vic for months – has there been a single superspreader event on a flight relating to a covid case?” host of the ABC’s 7.30 Leigh Sales wrote on Twitter.

“What is the basis of Qld locking up planeloads of vaxed people for Christmas without warning or precedent?”

Isolating an entire flight, Deakin University chair of epidemiology Catherine Bennett told news.com.au, is “not proportionate” to the risk of transmission to everyone on a plane.

“Most reports suggest [transmission] is a risk for those people sitting close, and on long haul flights were masks might be removed during meals. Newcastle to Brisbane would have people on the plane together for less than an hour all told,” Professor Bennett said.

“People in neighbouring seats and rows are at greater risk – so it would be unusual to quarantine all passengers, unless it was very small plane, and this was a 737. If they aren’t seeing positive tests from those at highest exposure within five to seven days, they should review quarantine requirements for the rest.”

Under current measures in both NSW and Victoria, fully-vaccinated close contacts must isolate for seven days from their exposure, regardless of test result.

From January 1, Queensland will introduce a similar rule – though the person must again test negative on day five of the isolation period.

While “some screening using testing makes sense to slow the transfer of the virus across borders … quarantining everyone if one passenger tests positive is not proportionate, especially for 14 days”, Prof Bennett said.

“The outcomes here will reinforce that this is overly cautious. The small chance that someone who is still incubating the virus after a week might be missed, then that is still a lesser [risk] than someone driving into Queensland who tests negative initially, but is incubating the virus.”

The shorter incubation period of the Omicron variant, she added, also likely means that “if you don’t test positive after seven days, you are probably very unlikely to ever do so”.

Flights have been going between NSW and Vic for months - has there been a single superspreader event on a flight relating to a covid case? What is the basis of Qld locking up planeloads of vaxed people for Christmas without warning or precedent?

— Leigh Sales (@leighsales) December 14, 2021

What is the point in being vaccinated if you have to isolate for TWO weeks just for being on a flight with a covid positive case? QLD health have lost their mind. IF this is an issue then require negative test BEFORE you board any flights

— Michelle Stephenson (@MishStephenson) December 14, 2021

In a follow up tweet, sharing information about the whole Newcastle flight spending December 25 in quarantine, Sales added: “If you’re contemplating travel to Qld, this is how they’re handling a single covid case on a flight.”

Podcast host Michelle Stephenson echoed a similar sentiment to Sales.

“What is the point of being vaccinated if you have to isolate for TWO weeks just for being on a flight with a covid positive case?” she wrote.

“QLD health have lost their mind. IF this is an issue then require negative test BEFORE you board any flights.”

Stephenson was referring to the requirement of fully-vaccinated arrivals from a hotspot to present a negative Covid-19 test 72 hours before their flight – and a second one five days after their arrival, suggesting the government may as well impose the rule for travellers from all states and territories.

Yep better lock few hundred fully vaccinated people up in their hotel rooms or houses they’re guests in just to be sure. Even if they test negative, keep them in there.

— Matt Bevan (@MatthewBevan) December 14, 2021

The border is open, but if anyone has covid on your flight, hotel quaro for two weeks. Merry Christmas everyone!

— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) December 14, 2021

I am glad I decided not to go to Queensland this year after this quarantining issue. Why would you take that risk #Covid

— Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 14, 2021

Responding to Sales’ tweet, If You’re Listening host and writer Matt Bevan said that “almost none of these decisions are based on precedent”.

“Better lock [a] few hundred fully vaccinated people up in their hotel rooms or houses they’re guests in just to be sure. Even if they test negative, keep them in there,” he added.

“These people have done everything that was asked of them and still are in quarantine even if they test negative.”

‘It’s just reputationally shocking to the state’

Others questioned why you’d bother going to the state at all.

“If Queensland reacts this way already, in this sort of kneejerk, over the top way, it’s going to send the message that it’s still not safe or reliable to travel around the country,” Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox told RN Breakfast’s Cathy Van Extel this morning, deeming it “unbelievable”.

“There’s still no certainty – you can get picked up at any time for obviously quite spurious grounds … And all that will do is deter people from travelling, particularly to Queensland, because there’s no certainty. Why would you want to travel under those circumstances?”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and newly appointed chief health officer John Gerrard at a press conference on Monday. Picture: Dan Peled/Getty Images

Mr Wilcox added that the continued impact the restrictions could place upon the tourism industry could be shocking.

“The recovery in Queensland is heavily reliant on opening the border, getting people moving back into the state; it is such a tourist-heavy and reliant state,” he said.

“And the fact that there is now no certainty, confirmed again by Queensland health authorities, means that people will be reluctant, people will cancel off the back of this or people will just change their plans.

“You think of tourism and of every industry that supplies into tourism will be impacted by this decision and it’s just reputationally shocking to the state.”

Queensland health authorities are expected to provide further clarity on the situation later today.