2021-02-17
The Greens say quarantine facilities need to be established out of cities and that facilities must be publicly funded and run.
“Our hotel quarantine system needs to be watertight. The UK, South Africa, Brazil variants are becoming the dominant variants in other parts of the world and we must keep these from getting out into our community”, Greens spokesperson on Health Senator Rachel Siewert said
“Governments need to publicly fund and run our hotel quarantine system and establish facilities outside of the city centres in regional areas such as Avalon, Melbourne Airport or Toowoomba which have already been floated.
“Some medi-hotels would continue to operate to support Australians arriving from high risk countries or those needing medical care.
“It is critical that the issue of aerosol spread of Covid-19 is addressed in all quarantine facilities. We must ensure all facilities are well-ventilated, with adequate airflow changes assessed by engineers as recommended by the experts, and that all quarantine workers have full PPE.
“We need a common sense approach to give people fresh air and reduce aerosol transmission of Covid-19.
“The Federal Government needs to step up. Quarantine is a Federal responsibility and needs to be funded as such.
“The bickering that has been occurring between the State and Feds on quarantine arrangements is not serving the community well.
“We need a public health response.
“People have a right to come home and we need to keep our community COVID free, the quarantine system as it stands can’t assure that.”