On Sunday afternoon, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the new ways the Australian Government is working to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Appearing in a press conference, Morrison announced the federal government has imposed a self-isolation requirement on all international arrivals to Australia, meaning all people coming to Australia from overseas will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Likewise, cruise ships will be banned from arriving at Australian ports for the next 30 days.
Watch: Mamamia’s Claire Murphy breaks down your most asked questions about COVID-19. Post continues below.
The federal government has also put a ban on non-essential public gatherings with over 500 people.
Despite the ban, however, the Prime Minister confirmed that schools and universities will remain open.
It was a decision that left many parents and teachers feeling confused.
As the Prime Minister appeared on the Today show on Monday morning, Karl Stefanovic asked the one question that thousands have been asking.
“On one hand you’re saying don’t come within one-and-a-half metres of each other socially, but our kids are a lot closer in the classroom. It’s a mixed message, isn’t it?” Stefanovic asked Morrison.
“These aren’t absolute measures, Karl. What we’re seeking to do is lower the risk of the spread,” Morrison responded.
“Where practical, those social distancing arrangements should be put into place, such as the one-and-a-half metres, no more handshakes, coughing into a handkerchief or into your elbow, avoiding the elderly, etc. All of those things should be administered when practical,” he continued.
“You can’t manage every single risk in the community and any suggestion that all of these measures can achieve that to the end’s degree would not be practical.
“It’s about the sensible way of reducing the risk. The more we slow this virus down, the more we can support those that are most vulnerable.”
Since the announcement was made on Sunday, many parents have brought up the fact that many schools across the county have far more than 500 people in them. It was a sentiment that host Allison Langdon echoed.
“Most schools have more than 500 people in them. These kids are then close together. They go home, they interact with their grandparents. Are we really doing what is safest for the wider community by allowing schools to stay open?” she asked the Prime Minister.
“Where there are individual outbreaks in particular areas, as has been happening in NSW and Victoria, there are arrangements that are put in place specifically for those schools,” Morrison responded.
“Schools are already making changes. They aren’t having assemblies and students will be in classrooms rather than large gatherings in their schools,” he added.
“We also want to ensure that nurses can keep turning up to work and not have to be at home looking after their kids. ”
Mamamia’s daily news podcast, The Quicky, finds out what life is really like in COVID-19 lockdown. Post continues below.
Stefanovic responded: “As a parent I have to say to you PM, I find this confusing and disturbing that it’s almost okay for our kids to be in any area where there’s more than 500 kids, they’re right next to each other at school. I don’t want my child to get this.”
In the press conference on Sunday, Morrison said that the closure of schools would have a negative impact on society, as children’s interactions with the wider community would increase.
“The aim is to protect those most at risk,” Morrison said on Sunday.
“Just because something isn’t necessary today, doesn’t mean it won’t be necessary in three weeks.”
Read: OPINION: ‘Closing schools isn’t only about protecting students.’
China, Turkey, France, Israel, Greece, Spain, Italy, Japan, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, South Korea, Pakistan, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Belgium and Ireland, are among the countries who have closed all schools and universities to curb the spread of the coronavirus, with many urging people to work from home if possible.
Feature Image: Channel Nine.
For more on this topic:
- What you actually need in your pantry during a pandemic, according to experts.
- The Olympics, Royal Easter Show and Coachella: Exactly how COVID-19 is impacting major events.
- What we can all learn from South Korea’s ‘super spreader’ of coronavirus, Patient 31.
- “Don’t pass on your fear.” 8 tips on what to tell your kids about coronavirus.
- “Our whole industry has shut down.” 12 women on how their job has been impacted by coronavirus.
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Top Comments
Why not ask parents who can keep their kids at home to do so, reducing the numbers actually at school, which will help slow the spread and reduce risk to kids and teachers who remain (and significantly reducing risk to kids who stay at home)? This will allow parents who can't care for their kids, including healthcare wokers to continue to work. Does it have to be all or nothing? That would be my interim measure of I were PM!
Because some kids have year 12 exams to do?
I imagine that children in school will be at an educational advantage. Nothing compares with being in the room with instructors.
Spit it out Scomo. We all know the real reason why you won't close schools. Because without women, the health and aged care systems crumble. If women are home caring for their children, who is doing the nursing? You'd then have to ask fathers to do all the child care and you'd sooner poke your own eye out than ask that, as a Conservative PM.
You wouldn't know nurses are that valuable, the way they get paid but maybe that's all about to change and it's about time their true value to society was recognised.
Mmmm, yes, of course "Conservatives" hate children, just like they hate women, and apparently nurses.
Grow up, open your eyes. It's not "Conservatives" that are spreading hate, look a little closer to home.
No, don't divert. You know my point was that men are the logical providers of child care at the moment for schools to be able to close, since women health-care workers and carers and grandparents are all off the table. Would just love to hear a Conservative PM tell men to do that, just once. That's all.
It sounds a little like you are saying there are very few men providing essential services. I’d be very surprised if that were the case. Teachers and nurses are probably overwhelmingly female. Other positions not so much