Isolating in luxury under eye of caring hotel staff
Room service, luxury accommodation, uncapped Wi-Fi and Netflix.
It could be the “suite life” if guests were not fighting a deadly virus.
Quarantine hotels are operational throughout the country as more South Africans who have tested positive for Covid19 are opting to isolate away from home.
The government has been footing the bill for some, others have been paying from their own pockets, while the Discovery Medical Aid Scheme is paying a portion of accommodation fees for its members.
The scheme pays up to R400 per member a night at a designated hotel.
To date, Discovery has paid for 178 members to stay at hotels in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
“Given the significant risk of Covid-19 patients infecting family members, the benefit aim is to prevent further infections in households by helping members with Covid-19 to isolate in a safe environment away from home, and to support individuals who may not have the help they need at home,” Discovery’s Ron Whelan said.
Nicole Ludicks, from Goodwood in Cape Town, isolated at The Hyde Hotel in Sea Point.
She and her husband tested positive on July 4 and shared a room at the hotel until the end of their stay a week ago.
“Discovery paid R400 per member. The daily rate was R850 a person.
“The rules were simple. We could not leave our suite.
Meals were brought to us.
“We had red boxes in our unit to dispose of everything we needed to.
“The nurse came to our door two to three times a day.
“She did our vitals and also gave us medication if needed,” Ludicks said.
Since opening its doors to guests infected with Covid-19 on June 1, The Hyde Hotel has accommodated 23 guests.
Victor Chiwaridzo, who works at the front desk, had mixed feelings when the hotel decided to serve as a quarantine hotel.
“I was afraid and happy at the same.
“I was afraid that the disease would be close to me, but happy that I could continue doing my job.
“But now I am no longer afraid. We have strict health and safety protocols in place to keep us safe.”
The Capital Hotels and Apartments’ properties have accommodated 350 guests as the number of positive cases increases daily.
“The Capital Empire in Sandton is, at present, the only ‘Get Well Hotel’ [in the group] for people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and want to rest and recover while they isolate themselves from their families,” manager Marc Wachsberger said.
“The daily rate at The Capital Empire for people who have tested positive for Covid-19 is R1,350 a day, including three healthy, balanced meals and refreshments.
“Discovery has subsidised this cost for its members, meaning that Discovery members pay R950 a day.”
The Capital Empire general manager Amy Hart said she did not think of herself as a frontline worker.
“I am here in a hospitality capacity.
“Yes, I have learnt a lot of medical terminology, but it’s nothing complicated as no-one here has experienced anything severe.”
Public works and infrastructure department spokesperson Thamsanqa Mchunu said 236 privately owned and 195 stateowned sites had been confirmed as compliant by the department of health.
“All quarantine sites have a contract with government departments.
“If a person is sent to a quarantine site, government pays the contracted rate, even for a private hotel, as long as that is agreed to in the contract.”
The amounts government pays per patient were “agreed rates when the contracting happens”.