Control of Covid-19 in Australia through quarantine

The role of special health accommodation (SHA) in New South Wales, Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID15376082
AuthorsPeter Fotheringham (0000-0003-1853-8194, Sydney Local Health District, corresponding author), Teresa Anderson (0000-0002-3953-9949, Sydney Local Health District), Miranda Shaw (0000-0002-9358-8258, Sydney Local Health District), Joseph Jewitt (Sydney Local Health District), Hannah Storey (Sydney Local Health District), Owen Hutchings (0000-0002-2793-0027, Sydney Local Health District), Jason Cartwright, Leena Gupta (0000-0002-4283-2919, Sydney Local Health District)
Year2021
Volume21
Issue1
Publication date2021-01-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMC Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1471-2458 • E-ISSN: 1471-2458
PublisherBioMed Central (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1186/s12889-021-10244-7
OpenAlexW3123546640
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited9

Background The first COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in Australia on 25 January 2020. Initial epidiemiology showed that the majority of cases were in returned travellers from overseas. One aspect of Public Health response was to introduce compulsory 14 day quarantine for all travellers returning to New South Wales (NSW) by air or sea in Special Health Accommodation (SHA). We aim to outline the establishment of a specialised health quarantine accommodation service in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and describe the first month of COVID-19 screening. Methods The SHA was established with a comprehensive governance structure, remote clinical management through Royal Prince Alfred Virtual Hospital ( rpa virtual) and site management with health care workers, NSW Police and accommodation staff. Results From 29 March to 29 April 2020, 373 returning travellers were admitted to the SHA from Sydney Airport. 88 (26.1%) of those swabbed were positive for SARS-CoV 2. The day of diagnosis of COVID-19 varied from Day 1 to Day 13, with 63.6% ( n = 56) of these in the first week of quarantine. 50% of the people in the SHA were referred to rpa virtual for ongoing clinical management. Seven people required admission to hospital for ongoing clinical care. Conclusion The Public Health response to COVID-19 in Australia included early and increased case detection through testing, tracing of contacts of confirmed cases, social distancing and prohibition of gatherings. In addition to these measures, the introduction of mandated quarantine for travellers to Australia was integral to the successful containment of COVID-19 in NSW and Australia through the prevention of transmission locally and interstate from returning travellers

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Accommodation · Biostatistics · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Coronavirus Infections · Environmental health · Infectious disease (medical specialty · Outbreak · Pandemic · Pathology · Public health · Quarantine · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · COVID-19 epidemiological studies · Disaster Response and Management · Medicine · Nursing · Travel-related health issues · Epidemiology · Virology