Social distancing protocols ignored at Sydney Airport

Large crowds of travellers were herded into long queues at Sydney Airport despite strict new social distancing rules.

Travellers trapped at Sydney Airport on Thursday. Picture: Matrix

Large crowds of travellers returning from overseas were herded into long queues at Sydney Airport on Thursday morning in direct defiance of strict new social distancing rules designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The chaos that unfolded inside the international arrivals terminal suggests the Australian Border Force – which has jurisdiction over customs and is in charge of screening arrivals – is struggling to administer the new protocols.

Public health experts have repeatedly argued that dense crowds are a serious health hazard and can promote the spread of the coronavirus.

The Australian understands a computer failure meant immigration information couldn’t be processed by ABF officials, forcing hundreds of people – some of whom were coughing and spluttering – to wait in the room for up to an hour.

“All the passport kiosks were switched off or not working,” said one man, who filmed the incident, but asked not to be named out of fear of repercussions.

“About 300 to 400 people were herded into a room and we were jammed shoulder to shoulder,” he told The Australian.

“When I asked a Border Force agent about social distancing he just shrugged and said ‘it’s not our problem, that’s for biosecurity.’”

Footage posted on Twitter shows hundreds of people closely packed together in the international arrivals hall just hours after NSW introduced draconian social distancing rules.

NSW Police now have the power to issue $1000 on-the-spot fines to people caught flouting self-isolation or social distancing requirements and fines of up to $5000 to businesses that breach public health orders.

I am livid 😡

This was international arrivals at @SydneyAirport this morn.

When @AusBorderForce was asked wtf re #SocialDistancing the reply was “not our problem, that’s biosecurity.”#coronavirusaustralia #covid19australia pic.twitter.com/5tSxzEUZsg

— Sally Prosser (@sally_prosser) March 25, 2020

The number of COVID-19 cases in NSW reached 1219 overnight, with the state registering 190 new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday night.

Zach Moore, who returned from Chile on Thursday morning, said airport security officers threatened him with a fine after he attempted to film the incident.

“Tried to take the same video as we flew in from Chile this morning,” he wrote on Twitter. “(I) was told I was breaking the law and would be fined if I didn’t delete any photos or snapchats.”

Doctors and public health experts, meanwhile, are furious at the apparent breach of the new social distancing rules and say returning travellers still make up the largest proportion of coronavirus infections.

“These are literally the highest risk individuals in our country according to COVID-19 guidelines,” said Melbourne GP, Vyom Sharma.

“They are doing literally the most dangerous thing possible. And no temperature testing, it’s insanity unfolding before our eyes.”

ABF Commissioner Michael Outram said “human biosecurity” was not the agency’s responsibility on Wednesday after he was forced to confront questions over the agency’s role in the Ruby Princess diaster.

It also comes after The Australian revealed on Sunday that Qantas passengers on flight QF1419 were herded into an overcrowded shuttle bus as other vehicles sat empty and unused.

The Australian has approached the Australian Border Force, the NSW Police, and Sydney Airport for comment.