Whistleblower nurse reveals why Vic quarantine failed
A woman who says she worked at Melbourne’s quarantine hotels has revealed the major reason why Victoria’s quarantine cases have spiralled out of control.
The nurse who does not want to be named, says those who were in charge of the COVID-19 program were more concerned about satisfying guests' wishes rather than getting a firm grasp on the infection.
The whistleblower told the ABC that some guests were given extra “fresh air” breaks while others took advantage of the situation, and allegedly threatened those in charge that they would self-harm if they were not given the freedom to leave their hotel rooms.
She claims that a suspected suicide that occurred during the first two weeks of hotel quaratine may have worried the Department of Health and Human Services.
The suspected suicide is being investigated by the coroner.
“They were just trying to fix guests’ anxiety, and as a result (staff) started having too many interactions with guests,” she told the ABC.
“We should have been seeing them as infrequently as possible.”
The new information follows as Victoria recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic since it began, with 17 new COVID-19 deaths revealed on Sunday and 394 cases.
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