NPY Women’s Council supports the call to protect remote and regional Aboriginal communities from Coronavirus (COVID-19) by restricting travel into the NT by making the NT and the tristate central desert region a special control area.
“We are extremely worried about our senior members of the community and their susceptibility to the virus. They are our anchors and caretakers of this ancient culture.” NPY Women’s Council CEO, Liza Balmer
NPY Women’s Council as a member of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of Central Australia attended a special meeting yesterday to discuss the threat of COVID- 19 to Aboriginal communities across Central Australia.
“All organisations were really clear that we need to make the entire NT and the tristate region a Special Control Area for COVID – 19. This means that we want to apply the same travel restrictions that apply to international visitors nationally to visitors to the Northern Territory from any Australian jurisdiction.” Combined Aboriginal Organisations of Central Australia
Restricting travel into the NT by introducing a 14 day quarantine for all people arriving from interstate would act to reduce the spread of COVID–19 in what is currently a COVID–19 free region.
While it is critical we have food and supplies moving across borders into the NT, restricting the movement of people across the Territories borders is beneficial to the prevention and spread of COVID – 19 into remote Aboriginal communities.
Currently NPY Women’s Council has stopped travel for all non-essential services staff to remote communities. NPYWC has also implemented restrictions on staff traveling from overseas, NSW or Victoria who will now need to self-quarantine / work from home for 14 days after arrival to minimise risk of transmission. All Staff travelling from other states and territories will be required to self-isolate / work from home for 5 days.
