"It's deplorable", travellers upset at short notice to enforce self-isolation on returning to Australia

Record ID: 1464368

  • Title: "It's deplorable", travellers upset at short notice to enforce self-isolation on returning to Australia
  • Date: 16th March 2020
  • Summary: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (MARCH 16, 2020) (REUTERS) SYDNEY AIRPORT DROP OFF POINT SIGN READING (English): "WELCOME TO SYDNEY'S AIRPORT" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ARRIVING AT SYDNEY AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETURNING TRAVELER, SEAN EGAN SAYING: "The time allowed was approximately 12 hours. I think New Zealand gave about 36 hours. I'm told the States are given 48 hours. Our people gave us 12. We now have to return to a farming property. We have no food at that farming property. We're now trying to find people to buy for us, so that, literally, we can eat. Now, 12 hours, we were in a foreign country, was all the warning we got. I think it's deplorable." (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETURNING TRAVELER, ELIZABETH EGAN SAYING: "People have lost a lot of money. I think there will be some refunds and we just hope we can rebook later. It's been, everyone's fairly annoyed at it but have to believe it's for the greater good." (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETURNING TRAVELER, SAM HALL, SAYING: "Got family that are supporting me. They're going to give me some food, which is good. But just a bit, kind of I guess unknown about this whole situation coming back. It doesn't feel like everyone's in lockdown. It doesn't feel like I have to do this isolation, but at the same time, I'm being told I have to. I don't know, it doesn't seem policed, which is a bit confusing." (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETURNING TRAVELER, MELROSE IRMA, SAYING: "So bloody extreme. They could have given us at least, like 48 hours for us to get back in time. But, yeah, it was short of notice and we couldn't do much. We tried to get on a flight yesterday before the midnight strike but we were way too late in finding out on the news and stuff." PEOPLE ARRIVING WEARING MASKS
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2020 08:04
  • Keywords: Australia COVID-19 Sydney Sydney Airport arrivals coronavirus flights international
  • Location: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
  • City: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001C5AUNGN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Travelers returned to Australia on Monday (March 16) upset and confused about the tight deadline given to return from overseas for self-isolation.
    Australia imposed a 14-day self isolation on all international passenger arrivals from midnight Sunday (March 15) to try and contain the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
    Australia will also ban cruise ships from foreign ports for an initial 30 days, he said.
    Australia has recorded more than 250 coronavirus cases and five deaths.
    The government has already advised against non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday (March 16), though this does not include schools, airports or public transport.
    (Production: Jill Gralow)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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