After a push by state premiers, our already low number of foreign arrivals to Australia has been dramatically reduced. They claimed it was necessary due to ongoing problems with the hotel quarantine and the increased threat from the Delta variant coronavirus.This seemed to be a reasonable response to the threat to the community from Covid-19 circulating in countries other than Australia. However, this is taking into consideration the poor hotel quarantine system in Australia.This decision needs to be examined more closely, not only in terms of its logic but also what it says about Australians and our values. As an Australian epidemiologist, I don't think this decision is justified.It is important that we remember that overseas arrivals are both returning Australian citizens and permanent residents. Many of these people have been living in exile since the outbreak. These individuals may be at risk of contracting Covid immediately and they are not able to access the same medical support that we have.Australians living in India that are at high risk for a rampaging Delta variant would do better in Australia, where the health system can and will provide care if necessary. It could be done in a way that does not spread it to the rest of the community.Others Australians living overseas may be in less dire circumstances, but they have been separated from their family and even their children for an inexplicable amount of time.Our approach should be viewed in context by noting that many countries around the globe, including the US, recognize the right of their citizens and residents to return home. New Zealand follows a similar approach as us in its pandemic response. However, once the Trans-Tasman Bubble was opened with Australia, it launched a public campaign asking citizens from other countries to return home. There was ample room in the hotel quarantine system.We should not accept that Australia has a choice between bringing back people or protecting our safety at home. We should not accept the fact that the virus and the Delta variant are so contagious that we have no choice but to despair.These arguments are a way of avoiding our responsibilities. These issues are not easy to fix. However, the truth is that we should be in better shape when it comes to our quarantine system. We should have been able bring more Australians home than we have.We need a risk-based, more nuanced approach to managing our borders. It is important to remember that each country has a different risk of infection. This is also true for individuals who have been vaccinated. This will allow us to be more flexible in how we manage quarantine and allow for the removal of quarantine from those at low risk. This will allow us to increase our ability to receive overseas arrivals.South Australia will pilot home quarantine. This has been announced. It is unclear why this pilot program has to be implemented and why it can't be used immediately for low-risk returningees or those already vaccinated.We need to continue pre-departure testing for return travellers and also explore the possibility of immunizing all return travellers before they leave. All of this could be done while we improve hotel quarantine management and create dedicated quarantine facilities as soon as possible.The bigger question is how does the decision to reduce our overseas return travel capacity until next year fit into our national identity. Our values of mateship, caring for one another and solidarity have been our hallmarks. These are the things that make us different from other countries.We are now 18 months into the pandemic and I don't think we can claim that we have done so in terms of how we treat Australians who are stranded abroad. We seem to lack compassion and care for fellow Australians, and our approach seems like the exact opposite.We can and should do more to prioritize bringing back Australians. It's the right thing.
