A VICTORIAN locum pharmacist is being forced to quarantine in South Australia after the state Health Department rescinded his essential traveller exemption last night.
The pharmacist had crossed the state border to take up a six-month position at a pharmacy in the regional town of Orroroo, but had been unable to provide proof that he had received approval to cross into South Australia in line with COVID-19 restrictions.
Speaking with Pharmacy Daily this morning, LocumCo CEO, Sue Muller, who facilitated the placement, described the situation as "a nightmare", saying the pharmacist had initially been granted an essential traveller notice by South Australian Police on 01 Jul.
"They had granted the locum an exemption so he could work yesterday, and said that he would not need to quarantine," she said.
"Then the police rang me at 8pm last night and said that the Health Department had said he's not eligible for an exemption and they've locked him down in quarantine."
Muller added that in the wake of the decision to revoke the locum's exemption, she was informed that if she needed to source emergency locums for South Australian pharmacies while border restrictions remain in place, they would "need to be from Queensland, the Northern Territory or Western Australia".
"They're the only three states that there wouldn't be an issue with," she said.
In an interview with 7 News yesterday, pharmacy owner, Irfan Hashmi, who has been providing free influenza vaccines to communities across the state (PD 17 Jun), said "we have taken action and are doing a COVID test for him to make sure nothing is wrong".
Meanwhile, University of South Australia epidemiologist, Professor Adrian Esterman, voiced concerns over the use of travel exemptions.
"I honestly don't think there should be exemptions of this type, not with the situation in Victoria," he told the broadcaster.
"It's very risky, which is why testing is so important as well as quarantine.
"Why take any sort of risk of bringing it back again?"
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