ISOLATION TROUBLE AS FOOD SUPPORT CUT

LABOR wants the government to urgently reintroduce payments to charities to provide food to people isolated with Covid after a disability pensioner was left home alone with no supplies.

Sophia Alexopoulos, 50, of Goodwood, said after testing positive for Covid last Wednesday she contacted several charities unsuccessfully to try to get food dropped at her home.

“I was completely floored because they all told me the support had been taken away from May 31,” she said.

“I am so ill and being in isolation I couldn’t leave the house to do my shopping which I always do on Thursday so I had nothing on hand and it is too expensive as a pensioner to get any groceries online.

“One charity said I could use an Uber but I can’t afford that.

“It is not OK that they have axed this support, people will die if they have to go without when they have Covid.”

In desperation, Ms Alexopoulos, who has lung disease and other ailments, contacted Labor MLC Josh Willie whose office organised a hamper of food from the West Moonah Community House.

Mr Willie said it was outrageous that the government had stopped funding charities to provide meals when Covid cases were increasing.

“There is a third wave of Covid and people like Sophia who are abiding by public health directives and isolating at home are being forgotten,” he said.

“The government must reinstate help to charities to provide support to people with Covid who are in dire need.”

A government spokesman said the Salvation Army continued to provide the usual “safety net” emergency financial relief and other support. He said more than $2.6m in direct financial assistance has been provided to Tasmanians through a range of assistance measures through Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants.

“The services offered via the Salvation Army for Covid care emergency food and medication for those in isolation ended on 31 May, 2022, following a lack of referrals to the service and changes to public health measures that enabled greater movement of close contacts who tested negative,” he said.