SA dedicates new quarantine hotel for COVID-positive patients

Finishing touches are being put on Tom's Hotel as health workers report for their first day of duty inside what will soon be South Australia's coronavirus positive hub.

Infected patients are not due until next week but locals say they are already fearing the fallout.

Chris Parisi fears for both his health, and his business, as his restaurant is right next door to Adelaide's new COVID-19 central.

READ MORE: Changes to SA's hotel quarantine program come into force

"This place is like an atomic bomb and everyone knows in Adelaide what's going on," Mr Parisi said.

"I don't even want to come to work."

City resident Jon Saw has to enter his home near one of the hotel's doors.

But despite the proximity, he said he hasn't received any reassurances from health authorities.

"In the event that there's a medi hotel leak, all it takes is one person to spread it all," Mr Saw said.

But SA Premier Steven Marshall said precautions are being taken, with the hotel heavily modified to deal with potential outbreaks.

"Everything was done to find the most suitable site for this arrangement. And I'm absolutely confident that we've got the very, very best," he told the Today Show this morning.

Today also marks day one of daily saliva testing for all hotel quarantine workers, including cooks, cleaners and security guards - one month after National Cabinet agreed to the measure.

Tom's Hotel will start taking COVID-19 positive patients from Monday 15 February.