Professor McMillan said he does not feel Australia needs to consider extending quarantine to 21 days
ABC News: Ben Harris
Professor McMillan said the hotel quarantine system has been working "very well" based on the latest data, but there were drawbacks.
"We've seen 350,000 people [go] through the system and less than 20 escapes [of the virus]," he said."But that has resulted in two lockdowns in Brisbane and a short lockdown in Western Australia and longer lockdowns in Melbourne."
Professor McMillan said if Australia wanted to bring back international students and expats, larger quarantine facilities similar to those at Howard Springs in the Northern Territory would be required.
"We know that 95 per cent of people will be positive by day 14," he said.
"Given the success of the program in terms of the figures, the cases of people who have become positive after testing negative is quite small, so I don't think we need to go to 21 days [quarantine] at all."
Singapore and Hong Kong recently extended their quarantine periods from 14 days to 21 days.
The Commonwealth has recently approved a purpose-built quarantine facility to be built in Melbourne – in addition to one that has been operating in the Northern Territory.
However, a Queensland proposal has been dismissed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on multiple occasions.
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