Western Australia nurses will return home to Perth after they have completed two weeks of hotel quarantine in Melbourne as one of them contracted Covid-19 while helping with the current outbreak in Victoria.
The COVID-positive woman and six of her colleagues were working in aged care when she returned positive in the test for the coronavirus.
As a result, the entire team is now on hotel quarantine in Melbourne.
The Australian Nursing Federation had called for the health workers to be flown home to Perth as soon as possible.
The union argued it would be unacceptable for the nurses to be required to complete two weeks in hotel quarantine in Melbourne before facing another two weeks’ quarantine upon their return.
They were one of several teams of nurses who were flown to Victoria in the last month to provide healthcare support during the state’s coronavirus crisis.
But Health Minister Roger Cook has announced the seven nurses will remain in Melbourne to complete their quarantine, and will then return on a charter flight to Perth where they will not be required to quarantine again.
Earlier, WA Premier Mark McGowan said Health Department officials were working with the nurses concerned to finalise a plan for their return.
“Obviously it’s very traumatic and concerning for the families and individuals involved,” he said.
“The nurses themselves have done the right thing by Australia, by Victoria, and by Western Australia.
“They have been heroic in what they’ve done, gone over to help their fellow citizens in a difficult environment, and they deserve all of our thanks.
“We are currently working through with the nurses and their families exactly what can be done, what should be done, and what is in their interests.”
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