Teenagers arrested after escape from Covid quarantine facility

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-01/multiple-people-escape-howard-springs-quarantine-facility-darwin/100663994

by hncurious • 5 years ago

10 15 5 years ago

abc.net.au

miles3• 5 years ago

What sort of dystopia is this?

Northern Territory police say they don't believe three teenagers who allegedly absconded from Darwin's Howard Springs COVID-19 quarantine facility this morning came into contact with members of the community.
At a COVID update press conference, NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner confirmed the teenagers, aged 15, 16 and 17, tested negative for the virus yesterday.
He said all three were from the Binjari community near Katherine and had been sent into quarantine as close contacts of positive cases.

1. Quarantine camps?!

2. The teenagers tested negative as recently as yesterday.

3. The risk posed by COVID-19 to children aged 5-17 is infinitesimal:

Why COVID-19 Vaccines Should Not Be Required for All Americans https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/why-covid-19-vacci...

Dr. Marty Makary, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and editor in chief of MedPage Today, argues that mandating vaccines for "every living, walking American" is, as of now, not well-supported by science. ... The risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 in kids ages 5 to 17 is 0.3 per million for the week ending July 24, 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We also know that the risk of hospitalization after the second vaccine dose due to myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, is about 50 per million in that same age group.

necovek• 5 years ago

The risk they are concerned with is to others, but otherwise, exactly my thoughts.

This reads like 1984 and I can't shake the feeling this is some type of The Onion site.

angelzen• 5 years ago

I see. If authorities claim that they are vaguely concerned about a risk you might pose to others, then they can arrest and confine you with no due process for an indeterminate time period.

tsol2• 5 years ago

What's actually dystopian is this;

Indigenous people infected with Covid Delta strain at twice the rate of other Australians[1]

Unfortunately that isn't as interesting to people as bad optics

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/14/indig...

raxxorrax• 5 years ago

Australia doesn't look too well lately to be honest. Not really sad to live at the opposite side of the planet right now.

I think shielding vulnerable people from infection is a laudable and necessary goal for a state that wants to be a service to the population, I don't believe a state has an end in itself aside from consolidating the interest of the population.

This is clear evidence that states cannot responsibly manage their power if they aren't restricted by necessary boundaries.

"But there is absolutely no excuse for the actions of these three this morning."

I disagree. I think these ridiculous rules are part that forced the teenagers hand and are therefore a health risk to everyone.

bufferout2• 5 years ago

Nobody forced them to hop on a plane and submit to these predefined quarantine requirements. Compare Australia's death rates per capita then consider which is truly the less humane approach.

miles3• 5 years ago

Nobody forced them to hop on a plane and submit to these predefined quarantine requirements.

The teens did not "hop on a plane":

all three were from the Binjari community near Katherine and had been sent into quarantine as close contacts of positive cases.

bufferout2• 5 years ago

Perhaps I can provide some important context here.

I'm an Australian who's actually been through the Howard Springs quarantine facility, with my family, as a requirement to travelling interstate there.

First of all, the people who are there knew before travelling that this was part of the deal for keeping covid out of the NT.

Secondly, the Aboriginal communities in that area are considered some of the most vulnerable based on existing health standards and below-par vaccination rates.

Thirdly, the facilities really aren't that bad with decent wifi, private modern facilities and even a 50m swimming pool.

Lastly, as a broad rationale for Australia's strict approach to all of this:

US covid deaths per million: 2,365.98

AU covid deaths per million: 79.28

peteradio• 5 years ago

Those are total population numbers in the denominator? We are at different points of endemnicity and generally its not too easy to compare numbers across countries due to different methods of accounting.

mk812• 5 years ago

Not sure why you all don't see it but this isn't playing the way you think it is.

miles3• 5 years ago

the people who are there knew before travelling that this was part of the deal

The teens were not in quarantine camp due to any traveling on their part:

all three were from the Binjari community near Katherine and had been sent into quarantine as close contacts of positive cases.

version_five• 5 years ago

US covid deaths per million: 2,365.98
AU covid deaths per million: 79.28

But it's not like you've "weathered the storm" and are ok now. It just hasn't happened to you yet. Is there any evidence that if Australians ever come out of hiding, they won't just suffer similarly to the rest of the world? All you've done is oppress your citizens and cowered away for a couple years. I guess you're hoping that something will save you from what other places have experienced, but its just wishful thinking, it has no basis in reality.

Being an island and not having a bill of rights let you isolate yourselves and restrain your countrymen in a way impossible in other western nations, but so far it's just bought you time, if living under lockdown counts as living. It hasn't actually solved anything.

exodust• 5 years ago

It hasn't actually solved anything.

I think the idea was to vaccinate as many as possible before opening up. The vaccine rate is high, so maybe that's one thing solved.

Many in Australia were happy to get the jab. Others were pushed. Threats of job loss, or shamed with name-calling and segregation.

And others still were coerced over time. Worn down with endless messaging and fear-mongering. This government ad for example has an actor choking to death in ICU: https://youtu.be/5v0Xc4dWYH4

mk812• 5 years ago

Too bad. I had always wanted to visit Australia. Would never consider it again.

tsol2• 5 years ago

Bijari is a poverty stricken area, which are the hardest hit by covid. Despite the optics not being so great, it's a way to stem the increased risks they are subject to

Also see: Indigenous people infected with Covid Delta strain at twice the rate of other Australians https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/14/indig...

Teenagers arrested after escape from Covid quarantine facility

Related Stories