Students welcome next-door coronavirus quarantine evacuees with gifts, handmade cards

STUDENTS from the Good Shepherd Lutheran College next door to the Howards Springs coronavirus quarantine camp have welcomed evacuees back to Australia by sending them handmade cards and gifts

Good Shepherd Lutheran College students have sent handmade cards of welcome to the quarantined coronavirus evacuees. Picture: Supplied

STUDENTS from the Good Shepherd Lutheran College next door to the Howards Springs coronavirus quarantine camp have welcomed evacuees back to Australia by sending them handmade cards and gifts

The school and students’ families have also donated books to keep evacuated children occupied their quarantine.

Japan cruise ship coronavirus evacuees bound for Howard Springs quarantine

There are already 266 people at the former Inpex worker’s village after they were evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan last Sunday.

They are set to be joined by about another 200 Australian evacuees — who have been stuck on the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan — who are expected to touch down in Darwin Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

A spokeswoman for the school said junior, middle and senior students wanted to let those in quarantine at the former Inpex workers’ village next door know that the local community was thinking of them during a difficult time.

“Concerned that their neighbours may be bored or lonely, the children created cards, puzzles and joke books for the children staying at the camp,” the spokeswoman said.

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“Families also donated children’s books, card games and puzzles to keep them occupied and ensure their memories of Darwin are as good as they can be.”

Acting NT Chief Health Officer Professor Dianne Stephens collected the gifts and took them into the quarantine village.

The spokeswoman said the schoolchildren were absolutely delighted to hear how well their gifts were received.