Hotel guard delivered food while infected with COVID-19

A ‘bored’ guard working for Victoria’s hotel quarantine program delivered food while waiting for a COVID-19 test result, which later came back positive.

A security guard working for Victoria’s hotel quarantine program made food deliveries while waiting for a COVID-19 test result, which later came back positive.

The man, identified only as Security 16, told the inquiry into the state’s bungled quarantine system that he worked as a food delivery driver despite still waiting on the results of the test.

“I was getting bored at my house,” he told the inquiry on Monday.

“I wanted to divert my mind.”

He began developing symptoms while working the night shift at Rydges on Swanston in May. About 90 per cent of the cases in Victoria’s second wave have since been linked back to the hotel.

The Rydges on Swanston in Victoria

The man told the inquiry that he didn’t tell anyone he was sick as he thought it was “just a common cold”, adding that he also noticed other guards “sniffling”.

After his shift he got tested for COVID-19 and was told to stay home while waiting on the results.

But while waiting he started to feel better and decided to complete some food deliveries to help with his boredom.

After receiving the positive diagnosis he self-isolated for two weeks. At the end of the 14 day period the man claimed Department of Health and Human Services told him he could leave isolation if he hadn’t had symptoms for three days.

The man then started working as a delivery driver again but went back to hospital after feeling sick and returned another positive coronavirus test.