A fully-vaccinated woman has told of the ‘torturous’ pain of being unable to see her dying sister in due to ‘s hard border closure.
Chantal Robertson’s sister Natalie was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2020 and is now being treated in palliative care.
Ms Robertson has been told her sister may only have days to live, but cannot get into WA to say goodbye as the state classes all travellers from ‘extreme risk’.
The Sydneysider has already had her booster dose but is not eligible to quarantine for 14 days on arrival because of WA Premier Mark McGowan’s hard border stance.
‘What’s being missed here is we have a family member who is loved and I don’t understand why there is no way to say goodbye,’ she told 2GB.
Mr McGowan last week abandoned plans to open up to the rest of the country on February 5, citing low third dose rates in WA and surging Omicron cases in the eastern states.
Sydney woman Chantal Robertson with her sister Natalie, who is dying from stomach cancer in WA.
Ms Robertson cannot get into WA to say goodbye as the state classes all travellers from NSW as ‘extreme risk’
‘We have been told by her palliative care team she doesn’t have much time left,’ Ms Robertson said.
She said even if she was granted an exemption to fly into WA and quarantine, it would likely be too late.
‘It could be a couple of hours, it could be a couple of days.
Regardless, 14 days isn’t going to cut it, I can’t do quarantine,’ she said.
‘I won’t be there for her when she passes, and I very likely would not be able to make it for the funeral either… it’s a torturous situation.’
She said her sister had reached the point where she was going in and out of consciousness, and that online video calls between the pair were insufficient.
‘It’s not something that can be conducted by FaceTime anymore.
It needs to be relayed in person,’ she said.
Instead of reopening next month, WA will enforce relaxed travel exemptions from February 5 to allow those with strong compassionate reasons to enter the state.
WA Premier Mark McGowan last week abandoned plans to open up to the rest of the country on February 5, citing low third dose rates in WA and surging Omicron cases in the eastern states
Ms Robertson said she understood the state government’s stance, given it had shielded her sister from Covid during the pandemic.
‘Having tough borders meant she could live a normal life without fear of getting Covid, and her level of care stayed the same as there was no strain on their hospital system,’ she said.
‘But when we get to situations like mine we need to be there – we cant replay these milestones.’
Despite WA’s tough border policies, the state recorded 13 new local Covid cases on Monday.
Meanwhile, pts terbaik sumatera WA Health is monitoring two vessels off the WA coast after both reported that they were likely to have Covid cases on board.
All positive crew members are isolating in their cabins.
The state will instead open in stages with a expanded list of exemption criteria (pictured)
