Queensland man Gilles Fischer was entering his third week of quarantine in Sydney. He had tested positive to COVID-19, but was struggling to get clear information about the steps he had to take before being allowed home.
After three days of confusion, and more than 50 hours without sleep, panic started to set in.
"I've been suffering major mental and panic and anxiety issues since Friday that no-one has been interested in following up," Mr Fischer said in a phone call to the COVID-19 hotline on April 21.
"I've literally spent nine hours at what is supposed to be a medical hotel, shaking, crying, being in total panic, having to call reception to be told there's nothing they can do, 'this is not a hospital, this is a hotel'."
Eventually, Mr Fischer was connected with a nurse who allowed him on a hotel rooftop to calm down and was offered access to a psychologist, but with a two- to three-day wait.
He returned to his Noosa home on April 27 and said he now felt completely recovered from COVID-19.
But anxiety caused by his time in quarantine had been harder to shake.
Mr Fischer said Sydney Local Health District, in charge of managing health hotels for NSW Health, had since apologised for his treatment.
A Sydney Local Health District spokeswoman declined to answer specific questions about the case but said the strict protocols in place for dealing with people who tested positive to COVID-19 included provisions for mental health care.
Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-09/serious-mental-health-incidents-in-coronavirus-hotel-quarantine/12225370
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