Infection control expert concerned about Victoria’s new hotel quarantine plan

A top infection control expert has expressed concern about Victoria’s new hotel quarantine system.

Yesterday, Police and Emergency Services Minister, Lisa Neville, who will head up the new body in charge of the quarantine system, revealed returned travellers will not be allowed to leave their rooms for exercise or fresh air.

Instead, in-room entertainment and exercise programs will be provided.

Strategic Health Policy Consultant from the University of NSW, Adjunct Professer Bill Bowtell, says he wants to see the science behind the decision.

“We have to look very closely at some elements of what’s being proposed,” he told Ross and Russel.

“We’ve got to talk about quarantine and not imprisonment.

“I would like to look very closely as to how it could be proposed that anybody could be put into a room without fresh air and access to exercise for two weeks. That is a violation, really, of people’s human rights, and I don’t think it’s scientifically indicated in terms of containing or controlling any possible infections of the virus.

“One of the big problems we’ve had all year in this is that many of these decisions are taken behind closed doors, without transparency and without the science being published that supports those decisions.

“They can’t be treated like prisoners.”

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