Fyles receive second jab, calls for others to step up, Howard Springs officially under NTG control
Health Minister Natasha Fyles has confirmed the Howard Springs facility is now completely under NT Government control, as she urges more Territorians to step up and get vaccinated.
Northern Territory
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HEALTH Minister Natasha Fyles has received her second Pfizer jab and is encouraging others to step up and get vaccinated.
One in six people have now received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine with now focus turning towards vaccinating people in remote communities and those over the age of 16 who reside outside of Darwin.
It comes as the Health Department officially takes full control of the quarantine facility at Howard Springs.
The controversial decision to take over the management of the facility from Ausmat has been backed by both Ms Fyles and acting NT chief health officer Dr Charles Pain.
The last two people under Ausmat’s care at Howard Springs left on Tuesday.
“We congratulate Ausmat and thank them, they have been simply spectacular, and a number of those staff will go across and work on some shorter term contracts in the NTG facility, and a number are permanently across under the one facility run by NTG,” Ms Fyles said.
Ms Fyles admitted that Di Stephens, who heads up the Howard Springs facility, and attended Bassinthegrass as a medical professional did not meet community expectations.
“We want Territorians to have confidence, they do have confidence in our repatriation program and they have confidence in territory health, and I don’t want anything to come in the way of that,” Ms Fyles said.
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“Hindsight is a wonderful thing and it’s always good to look back and say, actually, that doesn’t meet the community’s expectation.”
She said there was no clinical breaches, which the acting CHO Dr Pain also backed.
Two people have met the CHO directions for Victoria to quarantine for 14 days, however are not required to quarantine at Howard Springs.
Dr Pain said the situation would be monitored closely and if required further steps would be taken.
“If we are concerned about territory, and we need to declare a hotspot, we will,” he said.
He said there was still space at Howard Springs for quarantine for domestic purposes if required.
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