Mx Matiu Bush1, Dr Stéphane Bouchoucha, Professor Ana Hutchinson, Professor Catherine Bennett
1Deakin University, Burwood , Australia
Introduction: Since 2020, the New Zealand and Australian federal, state and territory governments have used quarantine as a strategic infection control measure to contain the SRS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus. However, the quarantine programs of both countries were rapidly operationalised without a clear blueprint for infection prevention. This paper identifies gaps in forecasting the need, and planning, for widespread quarantine within New Zealand’s and Australia’s Pandemic Preparedness Plans and pandemic exercise reports.
Methods: This paper adhered to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. Parliamentary websites and databases (Parlinfo, Pandora) were searched for plans and exercise reports, that were publicly available from 2009 to May 2022. Documents were examined using directive content analysis and assessed on their alignment with the core elements of people, resources, governance, systems, and processes, as addressed in the Australian Disaster Preparedness Framework 2018.
Results: The degree to which the core elements outlined in the Australian Disaster Preparedness Framework were covered in the documents varies significantly across both New Zealand, and the Australian federal, states and territories. Of the 15 identified plans and 8 exercise reports most did not foresee the need for mandatory, large-scale quarantine of people arriving from interstate or overseas and contemplated voluntary quarantine occurring within people’s private residences.
Conclusion: This paper confirms the need to focus on widespread quarantine as an infection control measure to enhance future pandemic operational preparedness. Further development of quarantine capabilities is required in locations aside from private residences, including at Australia’s new purpose-built quarantine facilities.
Biography: Matiu is a Nurse Practitioner and Designer who over the past 19 years have developed experience in a range of healthcare settings both locally and internationally including working in Tijuana, Mexico with Nobel Prize Laureate Mother Teresa. Matiu was named one of the top 25 most influential people in the Australian Social Sector by Probono in 2020 and developed the concept for the world’s first wearable to detect loneliness. Their Master of Public Health has given them a grounding in population health, which led Matiu to the front line of the COVID Pandemic response.