Doctor downplays concerns over hotel quarantine GPs continuing to treat the public

There are concerns that COVID-19 may spread from hotel quarantine into the community through GPs working quarantine hotels while continuing to treat their usual patients.

Doctors have refused a state government push for them to work exclusively in the quarantine system.

But former Australian Medical Association president, Dr Tony Bartone, says there is no need to be concerned.

“We’re seeing a robust set of processes and procedures being put into place,” he told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

“No process, or no procedure is foolproof, but this is the most pragmatic and the most robust way of ensuring that we’re still delivering the care to a group of people who have been quarantined because of necessity, not because of symptoms.”

Dr Bartone says GPs working with the public will not staff Melbourne’s ‘hot’ hotel housing returned travellers showing COVID-19 symptoms. That hotel will be staffed by medical workers from The Alfred who will not work elsewhere.

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