A story of Bill and Janet travelling to and in Australia in the "new normal"
This story could be based on the travel of two Canadians under level 1 restrictions.
Example – Level 1 – when Green Zone Countries first open up – which might last for 6 months until safety consistencies can be understood by the CMO for that counties’ population.
Controls / Risk Management might be –
- Length of time permitted to visit
- Restricted areas for visitation
- Requirement for Pre Booked and Managed Itineraries
- why – because if the traveller becomes sick with Covidthere are various immediate actions that need management for which the Government will not be responsible eg changed itineraries, quarantine logistics, testing schedules, hospitalisation logistics and managed passage home )
- Reported Itineraries
- why – because the COVIDSafe app is a tracing process with delays to contact meaning the traveller might have already left the county before they are contacted. Reported Itineraries allow for immediate action when a Covid compromise sparks, allowing Health Authorities ( DoH) to immediately contact them via their goPassport App eg All people on the tour with the infected travellers the days prior can be instantly messaged, the supplier of the tours can also be immediately alerted clients, accommodation alerted – this is instant allowing for immediate action to be taken and further risks and delays to operations mitigated.
- Random Testing during visit.
- Quarantine backup
Vancouver has been cleared as a Green Zone for travel to Australia. Janet and Bill review their options for the best travel manager from the Aussie Specialist authorised travel network to support their safe travel to and in Australia.
Following a briefing for the condition of travel by their travel manager, Janet and Bill download the goPassport App from the Apple or Android Store, register and self-declare their health status by answering a number of questions related to their current and existing health conditions. They will also add details regarding their travel passport as official clarification.
The goPassport App will then provide a status on how to proceed:
NOTES:
Green Zone – a decision from Chief Medical Officer (CMO) – A country seeking relaxation of Australia’s border controls must be certified as free from COVID-19 infections for a minimum of 28 days (i.e. double the length of the incubation period). Second, the requesting country must commit to implementing external border control policies identical to Australia, such as mandatory quarantine for all international travellers other than Australian citizens and permanent residents.
Australia Specialist Travel Network – Authorised by Tourism Australia and other Government Department. (Border control, Health ) who handle special Safety Travel requirements for inbound travellers to Australia.
Self-Declaration – The process of reporting accurate and true information about your past and current health status as required. This will include any current or previous COVID symptoms or illness. Contact with confirmed COVID cases. Any pre-existing medical conditions.
goPassport health status –
Green = go – Progress
Amber = warning – wait for further advice
Red = stop – do not proceed
As Janet and Bill have received a Green Status, they can begin planning their trip in conjunction with their appointed Safe Travel Manager, Stacey. Janet and Bill select destinations and services that are identified as Green Zone suppliers. Janet and Bill then apply, via their travel manager Stacey, for an Electronic Travel Authority visa to travel to Australia. Stacey also books the flights, insurances and land arrangements on the behalf of Janet and Bill with the various service providers.
45 days prior to departure Stacy re-confirms all the services booked to ensure that they have retained their Green Zone status and final arrangements are loaded into the itinerary management portal. Their official travel documents are provided in both a printed format and via the Health Passport app. Stacy also introduces Janet and Bill to their travel manager in Australia, Graham. Graham will be responsible for their logistics whilst they are in Australia.
NOTES:
Green Zone Suppliers – Approved Status and comply with daily reporting health status and disinfectant health processes as required by health Authorities. Have had zero cases of infection and/or complied with managed procedures if a confirmed case existed.
Company portal for service provider – Didgigo – traveller status report > i.e all travellers booked for the day are green status WITH
Portal used by Service Suppliers to manage their daily self reporting and Sanitation compliance activities. Will also provide Health Status on incoming non resident travelers checking in or arriving daily.
Official Travel Documents – official personalised travel documents capture responsibility of non resident whilst in Australia regarding their health Status self reporting and procedure to travel compliance. Includes travel guidelines, itinerary logistics, safety contacts and
procedures when health is compromised during travel. Identifies documents connections i.e. doctors medical clearance received for non resident fro presentation to Border Control.
Travel Safe Manager in Australia – The safer travel safe provider must cooperate with an authorised Travel Safe Provider in Australia to support the Traveller
7 days prior to travelling Janet and Bill obtain a health clearance to travel provided by an authorised health authority. This is self-reported via the Passport Health app and then validated via documentation by the health professional in the portal for health professional providers. The green status allows Janet and Bill to progress to check-in on the day of departure and for the Australian border control system to automatically validate their health status as part of the normal check-in process.
On arrival in Australia, the Australian Border Force will automatically verify Janet and Bill’s health and visa status. Should their health status change during their inbound flight, Janet and/or Bill must notify Australian Border Force officers on arrival.
NOTES:
Health clearance to travel – A medical COVID-19 test to determine contagious state and immunity.
Authorised health authority – An existing network of medical providers in resident countries where potential travellers can visit to obtain medical document. List of providers provided from Australia Govt immigration website or Travel Safe Manager to nominate provider.
Validated via documentation – Medical Provider stores
documentation for later access at Border Control and during travel.
Portal for health professional providers – Once test complete Medical provider updates traveller records which stores data inside goPassport Medical Professional Portal. Result stored in database and case number recorded, paper to be electronically scanned in. Result available for Border Control – alert > tested> traveller > clear
The Australian border control system to automatically validate their health status – The Check-in process creates expected movement
record which is sent to the port of arrival notified. In the background systems pull information from goPassport:
OK to board – clear and all checks complete
Not ok to board – something is missing – contact with Border Control Support.
Arrival in Australia – Non Residents complete arrival declaration on goPassport regarding their health status following flight. Random Temperature checks will validate the status.
Janet and Bill meet Ken, the airport to hotel transport driver (who has a Green health status as reported in the goPassport App). Ken’s Company Always Transport has complied with health requirements as a service provider. This includes reporting the health status of their front-line staff, testing and the disinfecting and cleaning processes for vehicles. Reporting is completed daily via the employee self-report portal and company portal. All self-reporting processes take less than 5 minutes.
Always Transport will be able to view the Green status of their contracted services for each traveller via the portal.
Janet and Bill’s hotel, Bennetto Resort, will be alerted of Janet and Bill’s impending arrival.
NOTES:
Reporting the health status of their front-line staff – routine Temperature Checks for Employees
Employees monitor and self report their health status
Employees if ill do not report to work and self Isolate, supported by employer’s sick leave policies
Disinfecting and cleaning processes for vehicles – daily Sanitizing and Disinfection Procedure
Checklist and Compliant Status Generated
Sanitize frequently high touch surfaces
Use Disinfectants that eliminate Covid-19
Alerted of Janet and Bill’s – Automated Notification sent to hotel of arrival of Non-residient clients triggered once arrived in destination.
Janet and Bill arrive at the hotel which has already seen the green status for both travellers and prepares for standard check-in processes. Janet and Bill notice that their room number, hotel inclusions and other selections are automatically shown in the goPassport. Concierge support, while staying the hotel, is also available via the app.
Bill and Janet enjoyed their first night’s sleep. They both complete their daily health report before heading down to enjoy a healthy breakfast in the hotel. They receive a notification via the Health Passport from their travel manager Stacy, to ensure that arrangements are OK. Their local contact, Graham, has also checked in to ensure that they are ready to progress on the day’s itinerary.
Bill and Janet can see the health status of all their confirmed services inside the Health Passport
NOTES:
Check-in processes – a touchless Solution enabling hotel check in processes enabling social distancing
Daily health report – Self Declared Health status for the day including
eg:
1. Are you suffering from fevers, night sweats or chills
2. Acute Respiratory infections eg cough, shortness of breath, sore throat
The tour for today is Borough’s Tours which has a green status and their tour leader Malcolm also has a Green status. Borough’s Tours also indicate the attractions included in their tour have a green status for the duration of the day.
During the tour, Bill and Janet receive a notification that Bill must report to the hotel tonight at 6:00 PM for a random COVID19 test. A goPassport official administers the test, records the results in the goPassport App and Bill is given clearance to continue.
Bill and Janet continue their journey reporting their health status each morning and observing their compliance with the service suppliers. However, on Day 8 of their itinerary, they are booked to stay at a small hotel which has now been flagged as comprised and updated to have a Red status. The hotel is now not available for their stay. Graham communicates via the goPassport chat to advise alternatives for this night’s accommodation based on the Green status of similar hotels, which are then confirmed ensuring Bill and Janet’s trip continues uninterrupted.
NOTES:
Attractions included – Supplier Services included in the Set Tour including Attractions, Points of Interest and Dining.
Random COVID19 – a test in destination to valid self reporting
On Day 11 Janet awakes feeling weak after a restless night’s sleep, she reports this status via goPassport which triggers an immediate call to a Telehealth service provider who assess her symptoms and organise immediate testing for Janet at a local Health Service facility. Graham organises the small changes to the itinerary whilst Janet is tested. Following testing Janet is confirmed to have the COVID-19 virus and must immediately comply with quarantine processes. Bill, who has been in close contact with Janet, must now self-isolate.
GoPassport prompts Janet and Bill to upload their travel data to the Australian Government Contact Tracing System. The goPassport App can notify any service providers Janet and Bill may have been in contact with during their incubation period. Once their tracing data is uploaded, the relevant Australian Authorities will proceed to alert any individuals that may have been in contact with the compromised travellers.
NOTES:
Telehealth service provider – Instant contact with nurse who conducts triage and access potential Covid-19 circumstance. Nurse log details and doctor will call via the Go Passport App (scheduling)
Outcome needs to result in
Green, Amber or Red status for traveller
Green = proceed
Amber = advice for treatment – follow up from telehealth
Red = proceed to hospital to undergo testing
Portal from Telehealth provider into goPassport system
In conjunction with local Health Authorities, Graham secures the quarantine process and reworks the remaining part of Janet and Bill’s itinerary; advising service suppliers that Janet’s and Bills trip has been cancelled. Stacey, in conjunction with Graham, then re-books flights based on the quarantine dates and allows for safe travel home to Canada.
Following Telehealth service provider advice both Janet and Bill are retested and authorised to begin their journey home.
On arrival into Canada, Janet and Bill undergo further testing.
NOTES:
Australian Government Contact Tracing System – goPassport prompts the individual to upload tracing data to Aust Gov contact tracing system
This then pings service providers i.e hotel & bus/tour operator notified that a confirmed case has previously in contact with service.
CAVEAT
1. All information is subject to agreement from relevant Government Authorities
2. Levels of control may vary depending
on circumstances and in accordance with direction from the Australians Governments and Australia Medical advice
3. Medical treatments and contact tracing will be dependent on the service providers and remains with the relevant Australian Authorities