Half a million deaths world wide not enough to inspire everyone to take a coronavirus test in Victoria

Victorians’ refusal to take a COVID-19 test after returning from overseas is nothing short of un-Australian, lengthening an already arduous process for the rest of the nation, writes Jenna Cairney.

THE staggering extent of the tale of human misery unleashed by COVID-19 is difficult to comprehend.

Part of this is because the numbers are simply beyond the scale of anything in recent history.

To date more than half a million people have lost their lives.

Indeed, the number of dead is quickly approaching a figure equivalent to the population of Tasmania.

Across the globe more than 10 million people have contracted the virus.

It has brought wealthy and powerful nations such as the US and the UK almost to their knees.

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It’s unclear at this stage if these places will ever be free of the virus, it seems more likely a vaccine or effective treatment may be the only path out of the dark abyss this disaster has created.

While we in Tasmania endured a lockdown period which seemed to last an eternity the results of our collective work can be witnessed on our streets.

There are people sharing a meal in Hobart’s amazing eateries. A smattering of folk in our beloved pubs.

Our shops are seeing foot traffic once again grace their doors. We can hike in our national parks – even take a tour of our wonderful state.

And when we look overseas we are quickly reminded of how lucky we are.

It is in this context we should view the decision by 30 per cent of people who have returned from overseas to quarantine in Victorian hotels not to submit to a COVID-19 test.

Let’s be clear a lot of people are doing a lot of heavy lifting to battle this virus.

Those returning from overseas are housed in hotels so they are able to return to the country during the worst disaster witnessed in a generation.

Surely the situation offshore is dire enough that any right-thinking person would feel a renewed sense of appreciation for our girt-by-sea paradise.

And one would think the perspective of living somewhere which has been able to return to a glimmer of normality would be incentive enough to do the right thing.

Yet we hear when people come knocking on the door and ask these late-returners to submit to a COVID-19 test one-in-three says no.

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This week in Victoria we witnessed the sad and potentially catastrophic consequences of this selfishness when a worker at one of the quarantine hotels tested positive.

That person now faces a difficult and uncertain struggle with a known killer.

This is something which it is entirely plausible could been avoided had the original COVID-19 source submitted to testing on entry.

Surely by now we have the capability to ensure the strictest level of quarantine is imposed on the small trickle of people entering from overseas.

Without a seriously good reason, being tested for the virus is hardly an inconvenience for the greater good.