On Sunday night, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced more radical measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, as the number of cases in Australia surpasses 4,000.
As of midnight Monday, March 30, all public gatherings will be limited to two persons in public spaces and other areas of gatherings.
So what exactly does that mean for you?
Here, we breakdown exactly what the new public gathering limit entails.
What is the new rule?
On Sunday, the Prime Minister announced that all gatherings must be restricted to “two persons in public spaces and other areas of gathering.”
This applies for inside and outside your house.
Morrison also announced that, within accordance of this new limit, the following outdoor areas have been closed:
- Public playgrounds
- Outside gyms
- Skate parks
- Bootcamps also restricted to two people.
The Prime Minister said this limit of two people was put in place “particularly for women” so that they “wouldn’t be required to walk on their own and they’d be able to walk with another person”.
I live in a household of more than two people. What does this mean for me?
All members of your household “can be together inside your home [and] outside your home”.
This means you can still go for a walk outside or to the grocery store with all members of your household. But if you are not with the members of your household, you can only be with a maximum of one other person.
Watch: Scott Morrison announces all Australians must stay home. Post continues after video.
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Top Comments
Can I have a single family member over to watch my kids so my husband and I can work from home? Does that count as compassionate grounds. Surely if we are all isolated that is much safer then sending them to childcare.
No because other people working from home are doing with kids are doing this however best they can, without childcare or expecting others to come into their home to look after their kid's.
I wouldn't think so. If both parents are physically home and working, the expectation would be that they care for their own children, rather than bringing another person into the house to do so.
I’ve called up and asked at the state department and they’ve said it is ok.
It’s actually ok in some states - I’ve checked with the relevant authorities in my State.
Your comment is not very helpful btw-I’ve just asked a simple question to help me to decide what to do about working from home and childcare - and don’t appreciate the undertone that I am a entitled or hopeless parent.
Can iI take my child to swim (exercise) in her grandparents (young 60) pool at their house?
Not if you don't want to put her grandparents at risk. Keep your child away from them and their property.
Same for the supermarket. Can parents please keep their kids at home (unless too small to do so). There are elderly people who don't have family or friends they rely on for shopping and need to go themselves.
I don’t think anyone is taking their kids to the supermarket for fun.
There is absolutely no need for teenage kids to be with their parents at the supermarket, which I see everytime I have needed to go shopping. Besides, their presence makes social distancing even more difficult.