‘It just seemed very arbitrary, it didn’t seem risk based’: Territorians thrilled to be released from quarantine

A LUCKY few of the thousands quarantining in Howard Springs were freed this morning after Melbourne Airport was revoked as a hot spot by the NT

• NT revokes Melbourne Airport hot spot, opens to travellers in transit

A LUCKY few of the thousands quarantining in Howard Springs were freed this morning after the NT revoked Melbourne Airport as a hot spot.

The decision was announced by Health Minister Natasha Fyles early Tuesday morning but only affected travellers who had used Melbourne Airport to change flights and had not been in Greater Melbourne, which is still a declared hot spot and will likely remain so for the near future.

Ms Fyles said it would allow someone, for example, to come from Hobart and transit via Melbourne and not have to quarantine.

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“The Melbourne hot spot declaration is still in place and we’ll review that following advice from AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee) and the Victorian authorities,” Ms Fyles said.

Geoff McCumstie flew from Tasmania to Darwin on Friday, changing flights in Melbourne, and was detained at Darwin Airport that afternoon.

Mr McCumstie spent four nights in Howard Springs before being released this morning at about 10.30am.

He did not step foot in Greater Melbourne, making him eligible for release today.

While Mr McCumstie said he was happy to be out of quarantine, he did not agree with the reasons given that landed him there.

Darwin resident Geoff McCumstie was returning home from Tasmania via a connection flight from Melbourne Airport on Friday when he got sent to quarantine. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

“We had no problem with quarantining, what sort of grated my gears a bit was the arbitrary nature of it,” Mr McCumstie said.

“Those folks that were directly exposed to the person in Melbourne Airport that proved to be

positive for the virus were basically allowed to go home into self-quarantine.

“Three days later, after the airport and the restaurant have been cleaned, we’re passing through

Melbourne Airport from Tasmania and we’re detained.

“It just seemed very arbitrary, it didn’t seem risk based.”

Mr McCumstie was on the second flight from Melbourne to Darwin on Friday last week and was told he, and a flight full of others, would have to quarantine at Howard Springs upon arrival in Darwin.

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“We got to the gate, then we started hearing the announcements that the airport had been declared a hot spot,” he said.

“I’m 58 years old, Melbourne has been declared a hot spot from Tuesday, my homes in the Territory and I’ve lived here 18 years.

“You’re not given a choice, (it’s like) putting a gun to someone’s head.”

However, Mr McCumstie didn’t want his experience to reflect badly on the Howard Springs staff, calling them “fantastic”.