SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
NSW Health has announced a trial of home quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers returning to Australia as it looks to phase out the current hotel quarantine regime.
The trial of the seven-day home quarantine for fully-vaccinated Australians returning from overseas was announced as the state recorded 1,284 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths today.
125 fully-vaccinated people will take part in a trial of the new system – around 30 per week over four weeks – NSW Health said today.
The trial is due to begin at the end of September with the hope that at its conclusion it will replace the current requirement of two weeks in hotel quarantine for returnees.
Health officials said the trial would not be limited to returning Sydney residents only and NSW Health and NSW Police would be tasked with selecting participants.
“We want to be able to test the trial on people across different living arrangements, different ages, so it will be open to people from regional NSW too,” a spokesperson said.
Those chosen to take part will be escorted from the time of their arrival in Sydney, to their home base, to begin the trial.
NSW Health says the trial is part of the national roadmap out of COVID-19.
“This is part of the national plan. We know we have to adjust to different settings as we move to living with COVID and this is an important step in that process,” the spokesperson said.
“This trial is endorsed by the Commonwealth Government. The seven day quarantine is something the entire nation needs to see in practice – that’s why we are doing a trial.”
