Backpackers bristle over targeted coronavirus tests

International travellers complain that NSW’s extra virus testing amounts to ‘discrimination’.

Backpackers Justine from Belgium and Tom Eden from England at Bondi in Sydney on Tuesday. Picture: Jane Dempster

Backpackers have complained of “discriminatory” treatment after NSW Health announced they would be subject to extra testing following the discovery of a corona­virus cluster in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant called on Tuesday for “pop-up” testing centres in Bondi after confirming there had been an outbreak of COVID-19 among backpackers in the area.

Dr Chant called for “increased testing, particularly in areas where there’s community transmission or around clusters”, saying de­spite a fall in the infection rate, people needed to “remain cautious”.

“We know there is a potential risk that other members of the community may have come in contact with infected backpackers,” she said. “We have had a small number of cases in that communi­ty where there aren’t obvious­ links, but a plausible explanation­ is they have come into contact with an infected backpacker before that backpacker was aware they had COVID-19.”

Dr Chant said “out of an abundance of caution we want to ­increase testing rates and introduce some pop-ups to increase our testing”.

Belgian backpacker Justine, 23, said she was happy to be tested but disappoint­ed with the treatment of travellers. “There are so many news stories putting us as the bad guys — that backpackers and travellers are causing the eastern suburbs to spike in the number of cases,” she said. “I think it’s a pity they’re blaming us. We’re getting discriminated against a lot lately, people yelling ‘just go home’ to us.

“We are healthy, we are keeping our distance and we are happy to be tested, but regardless of that people are becoming slightly racist towards us. I don’t like that, it’s not fair. Certainly from an economic point of view, we as backpackers do bring a lot to the economy of Australia.”

Dylan Tenbrink, a Canadian who manages Noah’s Backpacker hostel at Bondi Beach, said it was “disappointing” to see how backpackers were being portrayed and that some of his guests had lost work because of it.

“Some people have been fired because their employer found out they were living at a hostel,” he said.

He added that staff were taking “every precaution” to ensure the health of their guests and that no coronavirus cases had been report­ed from the hostel.

“We are keeping a strict 4.5m for every person, which means we only have two people in a typically eight-person room,” he said.

“We have increased our cleaning roster and have also started removing unnecessary mattresses to ensure people aren’t sneaking into other people’s rooms to sleep.”