Booney wrote:F*ck Victoria.
South Australian authorities only found out a British woman, who became SA’s first coronavirus case in almost three weeks, had arrived in the state after she landed at Adelaide Airport, SA Health chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier says.
In a shock admission, Professor Spurrier told ABC Radio this morning that SA Health did not know the woman was flying into SA on Sunday and only became aware of her arrival when she alerted authorities herself.
“We didn’t receive a critical piece of information from the other state and that meant that when the person came through the Adelaide Airport we didn’t have that information to hand on exactly which day she was coming,” she said.
“As soon as she arrived, she came up and made herself known to the airport authorities...and they were able to get our officers come and escort her.”
Meanwhile, stricter coronavirus protocols and testing may be introduced for travellers forced into quarantine under official proposals, as authorities look to “tighten” rules on granting special visitor permits.
Debate raged after SA Health allowed a British woman in her 50s to visit her dying father in an Adelaide hospital, despite having served less than half of her required isolation interstate.
She became the state’s 440th COVID-19 case when she tested positive at Adelaide Airport after arriving from Melbourne on a Jetstar JQ780 flight at 10.34am on Sunday.
She had spent a week of her required fortnight quarantine in a Melbourne hotel after arriving from London on May 16.
Despite being escorted by Australian Federal Police, the airline was not told she was exempt from quarantine.
The aircraft was removed from service on Monday and deep-cleaned.
The woman, who is now in isolation in an Adelaide hotel but has not been able to see her father in person, wore a mask on the flight before she was given a police escort into the CBD. She did not have the COVIDSafe app.
At least 19 of her “close contacts” were in isolation last night. Both Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier and Premier Steven Marshall launched a strident defence of her being granted a “compassionate” exemption last Friday amid a backlash.
She had returned a negative test and had no symptoms.
SA Health figures published a fortnight after first request by The Advertiser show she is one of 22 international travellers allowed into SA to visit a dying relative or attend a funeral.
Prof Spurrier said the woman was tested on her third day in Victoria but not immediately before her trip here. She revealed rules of quarantine may tighten, as well as SA Health exemption rules. Prof Spurrier said new national guidelines may involve “stricter protocols” about when to test patients in quarantine.
Asked if it was a mistake to approve her request, she said: “This is what I will be sitting down with and having a look at with my deputies to make sure we tighten up our protocols as much as possible. On the one hand we have to have a heart.
“It may be the last chance (for them) to be able to see this person. In any situation there’s always some risk.”
Mr Marshall said: “I personally believe we’ve got to have a heart.” Victoria Health is “satisfied” processes were correctly followed.
And right on cue SA Health further confirm their incompetence.
After Professor Spurrier completely blamed Victoria and deflected any blame on SA Health, Vic Health have arced up and provided proof that SA Health WERE informed.
Seriously, these people should not be in charge of health in this State, and definitely, should not be advising anyone, let alone the Premier, on what to do. SA Health has been a complete disaster for a number of years.
Will someone in SA Health be held accountable for this complete and utter negligence? Nope - no such thing as accountability in the PS
SA Health did nothing because of an "administrative error" WTF!
Mr Marshall did not criticise health officials over the fiasco saying:
“I am not going to hang SA Health out to dry,” but noted Dr McGowan would review the incident to avoid a repeat.
The great Professor Spurrier then decided to dig the hole even deeper
Minutes earlier, Professor Nicola Spurrier had been forced to retract statements she made this morning, in which she claimed SA had not been notified of the travel details of a British woman who flew into Adelaide on Sunday.
“Due to an administrative oversight, we can confirm the relevant flight details involving an overseas traveller arriving in South Australia were provided to SA Health prior to their arrival,” SA’s chief public health officer said in a statement.
“What this issue has highlighted is the need to strengthen the processes involving travellers arriving from overseas and travelling between states during their quarantine period.
“We look forward to working with our Commonwealth, State and Territory counterparts to strengthen this process and ensure all cases are reviewed and managed to a consistently high standard.”
Here's an idea Professor Spurrier: why dont you people in SA Health just do your fecking job instead of blaming other people and now blaming it on a lax process. If that English lady had been Adele, and you were in charge of getting her here for a private concert, you people would have been all over her.
These same effwits are destroying the state economy.
](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
in the Premier's and her offices when they found out the truth this morning.
