Page 743 - Week 03 - Thursday, 2 April 2020
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The Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman, has issued a number of public health emergency directions using these powers. The first directions were put in place on Thursday, 19 March 2020 and related to indoor and outdoor gatherings, and the requirement for travellers returning from overseas to self-quarantine for 14 days. It is hard to believe that it was just over two weeks ago that the direction was issued on the prohibition of non-essential outdoor gatherings of 500 or more persons in a single space.
Since that time, further directions have been issued reflecting the decisions of the national cabinet, which in turn is acting on the advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, or AHPPC. This committee brings together the commonwealth Chief Medical Officer and all state and territory chief health officers. Our chief health officers around the country have been working incredibly hard and very fast to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The further directions include a self-isolation requirement for people diagnosed with COVID-19; restrictions on access to residential aged-care facilities; and a series of directions regarding the closure of non-essential businesses or undertakings. The latter directions have required the closure of a range of businesses and services, including pubs and clubs; gyms and indoor sporting venues; cinemas and entertainment venues; places of worship; cultural and community facilities; personal services; and, most recently, public parks, playgrounds and outdoor fitness stations.
Restrictions also apply to other businesses such as restaurants and cafes, which can only do takeaway and/or home delivery. At 11.59 pm on Tuesday, 31 March 2020, a new direction came into force to further restrict non-essential gatherings to no more than two people other than those who ordinarily live together. This is an enforceable requirement for strong physical distancing.
We know that people have had a lot of questions about this. The team is working hard to get answers to those questions up onto the ACT COVID-19 website as quickly as possible. But the general rule is: three is a crowd and if you are in doubt about whether it is allowed, do not do it.
The ACT government and the national cabinet have also provided strong guidance to Canberrans that people should only leave their homes for four reasons: shopping for essentials; medical or compassionate grounds; one form of exercise per day; or work or education when this cannot be done remotely.
This is not a direction, but our advice to Canberrans is clear: stay home if you can. Stay home if you are over 70. Stay home if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person over 50 or a non-Indigenous person over 65 with a condition that places you at greater risk from COVID-19. Stay home if you have a compromised immune system. Stay home to protect yourself, your family and the vulnerable members of our community who are at most risk from COVID-19.
As I stated, I declared the first public health emergency on 16 March 2020. That declaration was made for the maximum period allowed under the act: five days. Since
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