Australian state border restrictions

[Lynda2475]

Not being able to return - point blank, to your home is not acceptable though. Period.

Exactly.

 

[Pushka]

It could not have been an emergency Caesarean if mother had enough time to fly from Perth to Sydney. The mother made her choice knowing what the borders are lIke, and it was voluntary. Her daughter had her husband/partner with her, so although it’s nice for Mum to be there, it wasn’t a necessity to leave her 11 year old.

Then we have become a heartless society. Keeping people physically well while impacting so badly on mental health.

I don’t know more about the new mother other than what was presented. We don’t know whether she became ill prior to the CSection with pre eclampsia and was being monitored. I didn’t see any reference to partner. And I don’t know when Mum traveled to NSW. Could have been before the outright cluster. And just maybe she couldn’t get a flight back when she wanted. But nothing justifies locking people out of their homes. Nothing.

 

[MooTime]

This is where shirley the mum, when she's ready to return should quarantine in hotel on her own for 5-7 days, undertake 2 or 3 covid tests, pending all negative, private cab it directly to airport, fly home & HQ etc

 

[Port Power]

I think we need to be very careful judging people’s decisions without knowing the full story…

Not being able to return - point blank, to your home is not acceptable though. Period.

I agree it is awful not being able to return home, but how could she do it safely and without risking flight attendants and all other passengers on board the aeroplane? Full PPE on board? No easy answer unfortunately. It would be different if driving.

 

[oz_mark]

I agree it is awful not being able to return home, but how could she do it safely and without risking flight attendants and all other passengers on board the aeroplane? Full PPE on board? No easy answer unfortunately. It would be different if driving.

Given the bring people back from overseas, and from places that have way more cases, you'd think flying someone across the country could be done.

 

[Pushka]

I agree it is awful not being able to return home, but how could she do it safely and without risking flight attendants and all other passengers on board the aeroplane? Full PPE on board? No easy answer unfortunately. It would be different if driving.

How about she is in Sydney iso next to the airport, has a negative test and then flies out. But nup. Too hard it seems. It’s not like they ask if she’s been in a hotspot.

 

[oznflfan]

I agree it is awful not being able to return home, but how could she do it safely and without risking flight attendants and all other passengers on board the aeroplane? Full PPE on board? No easy answer unfortunately. It would be different if driving.

Just so hard to imagine this theoretical change (after we are all ~70% vaccinated) from COVID - oh my god we are all going to die to COVID SHMOVID, whatever.

 

[jrfsp]

The issue is people not doing the right thing....Family returned to vic from NSW meant to be in home isolation, quickly popped down to coles....1 person from that venue has already test positive and on it spreads...Why i cant see home quarantine trials working.

 

[dajop]

The issue is people not doing the right thing....Family returned to vic from NSW meant to be in home isolation, quickly popped down to coles....1 person from that venue has already test positive and on it spreads...Why i cant see home quarantine trials working.

But home quarantine trials are meant for travellers who are verifiably vaccinated with Australian approved vaccine from low-medium risk countries. Who've also had a pre-departure test. Also possibility for geographic tracking via some form of bracelet (not sure if that will happen). Different scenario and one would think less risky.

 

[bcworld]

The issue is people not doing the right thing....Family returned to vic from NSW meant to be in home isolation, quickly popped down to coles....1 person from that venue has already test positive and on it spreads...Why i cant see home quarantine trials working.

Yes, but thousands of people (close contacts identified via contact tracing) with arguably a riskier profile have been allowed to isolate at home for 14 days. What's the difference?

 

[mviy]

It’s not even a proper trial of home quarantine. ADF and Olympians are hardly representative of the community. ADF have a strong incentive to comply to avoid a disciplinary hearing or even firing. Olympians have a strong incentive to comply to be allowed to travel overseas to compete in other events.

If a trial really is needed they should be testing using the general population to assess compliance and the effectiveness of deterrents and enforcement measures.

Would not be at all surprised if after the trial a second round of trials is announced with people from the general population.

I agree that data from people testing positive in Australia from community transmission should already have told them all they need to know to make home quarantine for international travel work.

 

[drron]

I agree it is awful not being able to return home, but how could she do it safely and without risking flight attendants and all other passengers on board the aeroplane? Full PPE on board? No easy answer unfortunately. It would be different if driving.

But this lady does not have covid.Simple mask wearing should suffice on the plane especially if she has a negative test 24 hours prior to flight.

And I will just restate my experiences in Tasmania during the last 15 months.I supplied letters in support of exemptions on many occasions usually to see dying relatives but twice for frail women who had been living by themselves and really could only get home if looked after 24/7.One of these was in the height of the Melbourne second wave lockdown.A son was able to come to look after his 96 year old mother and do his quarantine at her home.With all the cases they would be met at the airport by police in PPE and be driven usually to the HQ.Every day then in full PPE they would be taken to see their relative.
The case that brought me to tears was a sister from Melbourne being granted an exemption to see her dying sister.We had transferred the sister to Deloraine hospital for Palliative care.The sister from Melbourne could only get a flight into Hobart.She was met at HBA and driven to Deloraine hospital.They called when close so they had the sister to be brought outside and sit in her wheelchair in the gardens.They had an hour's talk then the Melbourne lady was driven into Devonport to her HQ.Her sister died before she got to HQ.She was again allowed out for the funeral.

When I supplied a letter no one was refused an exemption.
So it can be done and should be done.The exemptions were all signed off by the police and CHO.

 

[dajop]

It’s not even a proper trial of home quarantine.

It's just "being seen" to do something. Nothing more nothing less. We all know that. Get the media off the topic for a bit.

 

[Lynda2475]

Why is there no immediate trail of fully vaccinated Australians being exempt from state border closures?

Anyone fully vaccinated should be able to do a test on arrival (preferably rapid) and then be ok to cross state boarders without home quarantine.

For the trial you could easily require arrival to be via an airport, and maybe do some more rapid tests during their stay, to show that vaccination works. We can easily verify vaccination status with medicare.

 

[jrfsp]

Just because you are vaccinated, it doesnt mean you cant contract and pass on the virus.

The US flight crew that infected the limo driver would very likely have been fully vaccinated.

Likewise a post arrival test isnt foolproof. The lady in WA did a negative post arrival test and later went on to test positive and starter a cluster in WA.

 

[nutwood]

Why is there no immediate trail of fully vaccinated Australians being exempt from state border closures?

Anyone fully vaccinated should be able to do a test on arrival (preferably rapid) and then be ok to cross state boarders without home quarantine.

For the trial you could easily require arrival to be via an airport, and maybe do some more rapid tests during their stay, to show that vaccination works. We can easily verify vaccination status with medicare,

Not sure how that's going to work. The couple who flew from Tassie to the UK were fully vaccinated and that hasn't stopped QF1542 being on the test and isolate list.

 

[jrfsp]

Sounds like SA about to change to border requirements from Melbourne

 

[dajop]

Just because you are vaccinated, it doesnt mean you cant contract and pass on the virus.

The US flight crew that infected the limo driver would very likely have been fully vaccinated.

Likewise a post arrival test isnt foolproof. The lady in WA did a negative post arrival test and later went on to test positive and starter a cluster in WA.

All true, but all of these steps together reduce the risk (aside from the fact no-one has been able to with certainty establish the crew did infect the limo driver).

If you combine testing, with arriving passenger vaccination, with widespread community vaccination (this IMHO is the important bit) with isolation for those at risk, you should be able to reduce to the risk to very manageable levels.

Otherwise Australia as a whole and each state within Australia will at some point need to make a choice - hermit nation and hermit states within hermit nations, or live with the risks posed.

 

[jrfsp]

I fully agree (Once widespread community vaccination has taken place), its currently at 7% ish, and the community is a tinderbox.

Post automatically merged: Jul 14, 2021

Another transmission event within HQ in SA....where are the purpose built facilities.....

 

[mviy]

Sounds like SA about to change to border requirements from Melbourne

I was thinking about going last weekend. Now part of me wishes I did.

Looks like my mid-year trip to SA may be sadly put off till the end of the year if they bring back the ridiculous COVID test requirement even though I’m nowhere near any hotspot LGA.

Hope the border with TAS stays open as I’m due to go to TAS tomorrow.