Tasmanian says he wouldn’t cope with being locked up in a room

A Tasmanian man with PTSD has finally been granted an exemption to quarantine at his property after a pyschologist backed his claim that he would not cope with being locked in a hotel room for 14 days. .

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A Tasmanian man is finally on his way home from regional Victoria after authorities granted him an exemption to quarantine at home because he would not cope with hotel lockup due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Ray, who does not want to provide his last name and make his PTSD diagnosis public, said he had requested an exemption many times over the past few months.

He was in Port Fairy renovating a property but desperate to get home to Boat Harbour on the State’s North West Coast.

“The mandatory hotel quarantine rule was introduced the very week I first wanted to come back,” he said.

Ray said he had attached a medical certificate to his exemption application.

“My doctor had told them I would be at risk of self harm if confined to a small motel room,” he said.

“But I am being told that I have not provided enough evidence. I live on a rural property in Boat Harbour with no immediate neighbours and would stay there for the required 14 days.

“There is only one case of COVID-19 in the western area of Victoria where Port Fairy is. I am now hoping my psychologist will provide evidence and that I will be granted an exemption and be able to come home.”

That fresh evidence saw Ray granted an exemption and he is now heading home on the Spirit of Tasmania to self isolate at home.

State Control Centre spokesperson said the quarantine requirements for non-essential travellers arriving in Tasmania were in place to protect Tasmania from the threat of coronavirus and was based on Public Health advice.

“Anyone arriving from a non-affected region, who has a Tasmanian address, is permitted to quarantine at home,” they said.

All of Victoria is classified as a coronavirus hot spot.

“Those intending to travel to Tasmania from an affected region (Victoria), must have prior approval from the State Controller to enter Tasmania. If approved, they must quarantine in government designated accommodation,” the control centre said

“Anyone arriving from an affected region can make an application to the State Controller to quarantine at a Tasmanian address on the basis of compassionate or medical reasons. “Applications on the basis of medical reasons must include supporting evidence that quarantine in a Government facility would not support the person’s medical needs.

“Exemptions sought on the basis of medical reasons are reviewed by a medical practitioner from Tasmania’s Department of Health who makes a recommendation regarding approval to the State Controller.

“Applications from an affected region are particularly highly scrutinised given the risk those travellers pose of transmitting coronavirus into Tasmania.”