The State Government is examining alternative models for mandatory quarantine needs in the future including a purpose-built accommodation hub outside Melbourne to address the threat of new hyper-infections and the fast moving strains of COVID-19.
State Premier Daniel Andrews said that experts across all jurisdictions were considering how to guard against the new strains by looking into changes that could be made immediately and others for the longer term while the vaccine is rolled out.
“A Victorian team of senior officials is well advanced on planning work that will include investigating parcels of land near Melbourne and Avalon airports that could be used to construct bespoke, stand-alone accommodation hubs,” Mr Andrews said.
He said that based on early advice from public health experts and COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria, certain specifications would be important for quarantine accommodation hubs, including flat structures (not multi-storey); individual rooms that catered to a variety of family sizes; high quality or separate ventilation systems per room; surfaces that were easily cleaned; and separate and adequately sized staff facilities.
“As part of the planning work, the Government will also send a delegation to Howard Springs in the Northern Territory to examine the quarantine facility there,” Mr Andrews said.
“The model at Howard Springs involves single-storey accommodation that may be much better suited to managing the new more infectious strains of the virus,” he said.
The Premier said the work would also consider whether any new accommodation should be used in conjunction with hotel quarantine locations in the CBD, or as a stand-alone facility for the whole program.
