Stressed passengers criticise airport’s temperature testing
“Seriously stressed” passengers on international flights arriving in Sydney have criticised “inconsistent” temperature screening measures as COVID-19 continues to spread.
NSW
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International passengers arriving at Sydney Airport have revealed temperature testing for COVID-19 is inconsistent, with some let through after merely being asked if they felt ill.
Coogee-based Jane Alderman travelled to London to care for her sick mother weeks ago and finally arrived back in Sydney on Friday morning after days of trying to book a flight.
Ms Alderman said she was “seriously stressed” due to the difficulty of getting home and the lack of consistent COVID-19 testing by officials wasn’t helping.
“I walked through the gates this morning, they asked me how I was feeling and I said I was feeling fine, so there was no test,” Ms Alderman said.
“My friend’s wife was temperature tested when she flew back here yesterday, so I don’t understand why they haven’t checked me. It’s a complete joke, Australia started out managing (COVID-19) all right but we’ve fallen behind.”
Accountant Jason Rutkowski, 48, flew home via a locked-down Los Angeles and said he wasn’t tested at all when he went through customs on Friday morning.
“(The government) should’ve introduced testing much earlier, it’s so hard to contain now because we went without it,” he said.
Other passengers told The Daily Telegraph they had been tested by officials for COVID-19 symptoms including having their temperature taken.
Cronulla local Laura New, 35, who flew in from LA, said she was temperature tested twice at Sydney Airport.
“They tested us twice and checked us for symptoms, it was very thorough,” she said.
A NSW Health spokesman told The Daily Telegraph international passenger temperature screenings were in accordance with Commonwealth screening guidelines.
“NSW Health has been working in partnership with Australian Border Force and
Australian Department of Agriculture Biosecurity officers since 23 January 2020 to
identify which passengers require assessment for COVID-19 by public health teams,” they said.
“All screened arrivals who do not require further testing are provided with instructions
and information on self-isolation and symptoms to be alert to.”
Footage posted online this week showed passengers at the airport crammed into queues for testing with no room for social distancing.
Airport officials were spotted seemingly not following the social distancing recommendations. Qantas ground staff sat in groups with members closer than the recommended 1.5m of space.
Airport security contractors from SNP Security were seen by The Daily Telegraph sharing hi-vis vests with colleagues, standing closer than recommended and not wearing gloves at security checkpoints.
The security officers, hired by the airport to enforce social distancing, were then seen patrolling the International Arrivals terminal in large numbers making sure all arriving passengers and their loved ones stayed the correct distance apart.
A Qantas spokesman said the company would “continue to remind” employees of social distancing guidelines, while SNP Security were unavailable for comment.
A spokesman for Sydney Airport said it had “made it clear” to staff and contractors onsite that they must comply with social distancing measures displayed all over the airport.
“We need people to listen and show responsibility,” the spokesman said.
“We have made it clear to both our own people and the agencies and businesses operating from the airport that they need to comply.”
Originally published as Stressed passengers criticise airport’s temperature testing
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