Australian Immigration Daily News

The Chief Medical Officer provided the latest advice on the spread of COVID-19 globally and nationally. Leaders noted that Australia has one of the most comprehensive testing regimes in the world with over 100,000 Australian tests for COVID-19 having been undertaken. While the majority of COVID-19 cases in Australia continue to be from Australians returning from overseas, there have been a number of local outbreaks.

Every Australian has a part to play in slowing the spread of coronavirus.

All leaders reiterated the importance of Australians strictly adhering to social distancing and self isolation requirements, in particular for those who are unwell and for returned travellers. Not adhering to self isolation requirements when you are unwell puts the lives of your fellow Australians at risk.

National Cabinet agreed to risk mitigation measures for non-essential indoor gatherings of fewer than 100 people including the following:

•In a given occupied space, there must be a density of no more than one person per four square metres of floor space. The 4 square metre arrangements for venues will come into effect from 20 March 2020 and will be mandated through state and territory regulatory arrangements. o For example, there can be 25 people in a 100 square metre room, who should maintain a physical healthy distance between each other of 1.5 metres.

• Hand hygiene products and suitable waste receptacles must be made available, with frequent cleaning and waste disposal taking place.

• The Department of Health recommendations for unwell individuals to isolate at home must be promoted.

• For example:

• Cinemas and theatres will decrease density of patrons, which could include alternate seating, staggered seating and alternate rows, except for family groups who may be seated together.

• Seated restaurants may need to undertake a capacity reduction in order to meet the above density requirements.

Source: Prime-Minister-Update-on-Coronavirus-and-the-4-metre-rule.pdf