Queensland's insistence that international arrivals quarantine for twice so long as COVID-infected locals is a "contradiction" that fails to take the "greater image under consideration", in line with a distinguished British public well being doctor.
The coverage, which requires 14 days in isolation for worldwide travellers however simply seven for Queenslanders who even have COVID-19, continues to outrage Australians making an attempt to return to the Sunshine State.
Requested whether or not there was any attainable public well being justification for the coverage, Professor Iain Buchan mentioned it was a "contradiction in phrases".
"If a damaging particular person has an extended quarantine interval than a identified case and their chance of transmission isn't going to be higher," the dean of the Institute of Inhabitants Well being on the College of Liverpool instructed 9.com.au.
"So your danger administration there's not taking the larger image under consideration.
"The incubation interval for Omicron is probably going a lot shorter and the period of the virus current within the physique to a degree of infectiousness might be very brief."
The info scientist famous that the US had lately lowered quarantine intervals to simply 5 days and urged Queensland rethink the rules.
"It will be way more wise for Australia's quarantine coverage if it desires to open itself up once more to have a substitute for quarantine, which is possibly three damaging lateral movement exams," he mentioned.
"I feel folks want to maneuver with the instances and take a look at the information and take into account the influence on their financial system and their social properly being in addition to the general public well being."
Queensland plans to drop the 14-day quarantine interval for worldwide arrivals shortly, however not till 90 per cent of the state's over-16s are absolutely vaccinated. The determine was 86.9 per cent on Wednesday and authorities anticipated the milestone to be hit a while in January.
Queensland Well being beforehand described its method to worldwide quarantine as "cautious".
"Whereas each interstate and abroad hotspots are a priority, the chance profile for abroad hotspots is larger on account of a number of components, together with high quality of vaccinations, totally different variants circulating abroad, and uncertainty involved tracing processes utilized in different international locations," a spokesperson instructed 9News.
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Queensland final week lowered the isolation interval for COVID-19 sufferers and their shut contacts to seven days. Shut contacts should take a look at damaging on their sixth day, via both a PCR or fast antigen take a look at relying on their signs, to ensure their launch.
However the state has saved a rule forcing abroad arrivals from wherever aside from New Zealand to quarantine for 14 days at dwelling or a government-arranged resort, no matter their vaccination standing.
A number of extra Australians making an attempt to get again to Queensland have contacted 9.com.au to specific their annoyance for the reason that contradiction was highlighted earlier this week.
Additionally they complained in regards to the comparatively strict restrictions on the place returning travellers can quarantine — residence buildings with frequent entry factors aren't allowed — in comparison with somebody contaminated with COVID-19.