As the final touches are made to the purpose-built Victorian Quarantine Hub, operations will soon cease at Victoria’s remaining quarantine hotels.
CQV – Victoria’s dedicated quarantine agency – has begun consolidating operations to conclude all hotel operations by the end of March as we transition to the new Victorian Quarantine Hub – the first facility of its kind to be constructed in Australia since the start of the pandemic
The Victorian Quarantine Hub is due to become operational later this month to house unvaccinated arrivals, eligible people who are positive and unable to safely isolate at home, as emergency accommodation following natural disasters such as bushfires or for use in future pandemics.
With case numbers continuing to fall, the medi-hotels will also cease operations later this month.
Victoria’s hotel quarantine program has accommodated more than 70,000 residents since 1 December 2020, allowing Australian citizens and residents to return home safely and providing much needed emergency accommodation to community members and critical frontline workers needing a safe place to isolate.
While hotel quarantine has played an integral role in Victoria’s COVID-19 response, it was never intended as a long-term measure and the transition to a purpose-built quarantine facility is central to Victoria’s ongoing pandemic response.
With the Federal Government-funded build nearly completed, CQV has commenced onsite training and orientation for approximately 500 staff, bringing with them 18 months’ worth of experience in infection prevention and control training acquired across the hotel quarantine program.
The first 250 beds will open at the Victorian Quarantine Hub in late February, with operations scaling up through to the end of April.
As stated by Minister for Police Lisa Neville
“We have always known hotels were built for tourists not quarantine, so it’s more than appropriate to be ending our hotel program now that operations are about to kick off at the purpose-built Victorian Quarantine Hub.”
“The lessons learned in hotel quarantine won’t go to waste, with hundreds of existing hotel staff transitioning over to the hub in the coming weeks.”
“A purpose-built quarantine facility ensures we have the resources we need to see through the coronavirus pandemic and any pandemics in the future.”
As stated by CQV Commissioner Emma Cassar
“I’d like to thank everyone who has worked in hotel quarantine over the past 18 months, and I look forward to this next chapter as we begin operations later this month at the hub.”
“I’d also like to thank our hotel partners for supporting Victoria’s pandemic response. Without them, we would not have been able to safety accommodate tens of thousands of Victorians returning from overseas.”
