‘Stay at home – it’s very, very simple’: State premiers push coronavirus message
Kids on school holidays should not be having friends over. Photo: AAP
Premier Daniel Andrews is begging Victorians to stay home, as the state’s coronavirus tally rises to 466.
Stage two of national shutdowns were declared on Tuesday night by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
On Wednesday, Mr Andrews reinforced the need for even tougher measures to come.
“Lives are absolutely what this is about,” he said.
“People won’t just be queuing for Centrelink payments, they will be queuing for heart and lung machines and ventilators and intensive care beds. You cannot queue for intensive care.”
Statement on Victoria’s response to Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/WGlUyGpIa2
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) March 24, 2020
Mr Andrews said states would soon need to take individual measures because the COVID-19 pandemic was at different stages in different parts of the country.
He said the list of restrictions announced on Tuesday night was “stage two” of the state’s coronavirus response, but warned “there will be a stage three”.
“The exact nature of those measures and the timing it occurs, I will stand here and very clearly and directly explain to Victorians what they need to do at that stage,” Mr Andrews said.
On Wednesday, he outlined the “stage two” restrictions, and what they meant.
“No parties, no outings, no gatherings. There’s just no, no excuse,” he said.
“If you can stay at home, you must stay at home. It is very, very simple.
“You should not be having friends over for a dinner party; you should not be going out shopping unless you need to.
“Kids on school holidays cannot be having friends over.”
The Victorian coronavirus tally grew by 55 overnight to 466 cases.
Among the confirmed cases are four healthcare workers from a private hospital in Melbourne’s west. All are in a stable condition.
However, there are two Victorians are in intensive care because of the virus.
Mr Andrews implored people to realise that overseas, otherwise healthy people have died from COVID-19, which was why isolating was so important to stop the spread.
“There’s a lot of talk that this is the greatest risk for those who are frail and aged,” he said.
“Yes, it is, but no one should kid themselves that otherwise healthy people in their 40s, perhaps even younger, haven’t died from this.”
About 500 police officers will have the daily task of enforcing the closure of non-essential services in Victoria and the mandatory 14-day self-isolation for travellers.
Individuals face fines of up to $25,000 and business could be forced to cough up $100,000 for breaching restrictions.
An expanded list of businesses will be forced to close their doors at midnight on Wednesday with an emphasis on stopping large gatherings.
Weddings will be restricted to the couple, celebrant and two witnesses only, while funerals can only have a maximum of 10 mourners.
Open house inspections and auctions are banned as are personal services such as beauty therapy, waxing, tattoo parlours and massage to go with the closure of pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants announced on Sunday.
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian earlier reiterated the need for the public to “step up” to slow the spread of the virus, which has so far killed eight people, including seven in NSW.
She also backed the new public restrictions announced on Tuesday night to control the spread of COVID-19.
“The decisions we take are not ones we take lightly,” she said.
“This is a time that all of us have to step up. We need to make sure the community does the right thing by yourself, your family and others.”
-with AAP
