Victoria’s purpose built quarantine facility at Mickleham will begin accepting its first residents from Monday. As the trouble-plagued hotel quarantine is gradually phased out over the coming months, the hub will become the state’s sole quarantine site. From April, the site will have capability to accommodate up to 1000 residents at any one time. While it will predominantly host unvaccinated travellers, the facility can also accommodate eligible community members who are Covid positive but can’t isolate at home, such as healthcare workers. Authorities have also flagged that it could also operate as emergency accommodation after natural disasters. Covid Quarantine Victoria Commissioner Emma Cassar said unlike the hotel quarantine system, the hub has been designed in a way that places infection prevention and control at the heart of all its operations. “The hub’s open-air setting will eliminate many of the challenges of hotel quarantine, with standalone cabins allowing for a constant flow of fresh air and no shaded ventilation systems among residents,” Ms Cassar said. Police Minister Lisa Neville said the facility will be critical in any future pandemics. “If only we had this at the start of March 2020,” she said. “The Omicron variant has shown us we must continue to be flexible in our pandemic response – and the purpose-built Victorian Quarantine Hub will be vital to how we manage pandemics today and into the future.”Victoria has recorded 6280 Covid cases and 20 deaths on Friday.There are 365 people with Covid in hospital, with 55 in intensive care and 13 on ventilators.The state has 48,420 active cases.International students returnThe peak university body has welcomed the return of students to campuses but says the sector faces ongoing challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. Universities Australia said the return of 80,000 international students was especially good news after they were forced abroad for two years due to the country’s tough border measures. “The strong numbers of returning students we’re seeing is indeed a milestone worth celebrating,” Universities Australia CEO Catriona Jackson said. “We know there are students still to return, and we, as well as their domestic peers, stand ready to welcome them back.”However, the university peak body said the pandemic still poses challenges for the industry, which saw 40,000 job losses last year. “The sector, of course, faces a significant road to recovery and the full picture for 2022 and beyond will take time to form,” Ms Jackson said. “Universities know they’re not out of the woods, confronting revenue hits and job losses as consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
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