Covid-19 Quarantine Debate Shifts From Hotels to Homes

One of the most in-depth examinations of hotel quarantines since the coronavirus crisis began has concluded that some travellers should be allowed to self-isolate at home. The recommendation, from a government panel in Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, could offer lessons to other countries seeking ways to reopen their borders. The panel was set up by state-level authorities to investigate the hotel-quarantine program after a second-wave outbreak in Melbourne was linked to hotels, where the virus spread from travellers to personnel such as security guards. Allowing people to quarantine at home could make travel more palatable for those who can’t afford pricey hotel bills, or don’t want to spend weeks cooped up in a hotel room. It would also ease the workload for health care workers at quarantine hotels and allow more inbound travellers if hotels are full.