Coronavirus: Concerns raised over ‘lax’ airport procedures

Australians returning from international destinations have raised concern over what appears to be a lax approach to Covid-19 arrival protocols.

International travellers on Monday at Sydney airport. Picture: Jeremy Piper

As NSW recorded another two cases of the Omicron variant on Monday, Australians returning from international destinations have raised concern over what appears to be a lax approach to Covid-19 arrival protocols.

On Monday about 2000 people arrived at Sydney International Airport, with fully vaccinated travellers who had not visited one of the nine African nations of concern free to walk out the arrivals gates into the open arms of those waiting to greet them.

Many expressed surprise that they were allowed to hug friends and family before heading home to isolate for 72 hours.

Some travellers who arrived more than 24 hours ago and were among the first to enter once new rules were put in place at midnight on Saturday have yet to hear from NSW Health.

On arrival, passengers are given a double-sided fact sheet that instructs them to get a test within 24 hours and to go home or to their place of accommodation via private vehicle, taxi or rideshare service to isolate.

The fact sheet instructs arrivals to get tested three times: first within 24 hours of arrival, then on or after six days in NSW and one last time on their 12th day in the state.

For now the end date is not clear, with those in isolation told to await further advice or call after 72 hours.

The department said in a statement: “NSW Health is contacting people who have recently arrived from overseas via phone call and text message to remind them of these important obligations.”

However, of five new arrivals contacted by The Australian, none had heard from the state health body.

“People with Covid-19 or who are close contacts must self-isolate to help stop the spread of Covid-19 to other people,” the fact sheet reads.

But the silence after landing has left some families confused, unsure of the rules and whether they are close contacts and have to isolate.

Whitney Bell, whose mother Debbie Polkinghorne arrived from Wellington, New Zealand via Auckland on Sunday, said she and her mother had yet to hear from authorities.

“I think to be honest the flight that my mum was on, from Auckland, was probably the least of their worries considering there has been no cases of the new variant. I think they’d be focusing on the other countries where it seems to be positive,” she said.