National Cabinet Address & Victoria Premier Update

The PM and CMO just spoke to the media following today’s National Cabinet Meeting, followed by the VIC Premier at a separate press conference.

PM

• News from VIC remains very concerning, but key here is all states and territories fully supporting VIC with resourcing
• We all have to be very careful to protect against complacency everywhere in Australia, particularly behind closed doors, not just out in the open
• When at home - still practice social distancing, no hugs and handshakes still
• Social distancing is the norm now, not the exception, will be with us for a very long time – no change until vaccine found
• Social distancing needs to be a habit, and just because everything is ok in other states, doesn’t mean you go back to the way things were before social distancing
• Community has a role to play in terms of social distancing, and particularly the younger population
• QLD border reopened today, except to VIC
• Nat Cab has agreed in a reduction in number of inbound arrivals into Australia, will be cut by just over half across all ports that residents are returning to Australia – will drop to 4000 people per week allowed back in, no one to Victoria at the moment
• Hotel quarantine is going to move towards charging people returning, some states already
• A nationwide review of hotel quarantine is going to be undertaken - working with states and territories, important step to look into how each state is managing this, to have confidence around all arrangements in all states
• PM / Nat Cab endorsed the advice on all Melbourne/Mitchell local government area residents to wear masks when they leave the house when they know they will be potentially entering a situation when 1.5 metre distancing can’t be maintained

CMO

• Very clear that there is community transmission issue in Melbourne
• Confined to Melbourne at the moment, but we are all at risk – modelling shows this
• Physical distancing, cough hygiene, hand hygiene, everyone needs to continue to do these to stop the transmission across Australia
• We’re all in this together

Victoria Premier

• 288 cases recorded overnight (but record amount of daily testing, over 37,000 tests done in one day)
• 2 million reusable masks are being made to distribute to residents, along with 1 million additional disposable masks
• If you are out, and you don’t think you are going to be able to maintain 1.5 metres from others – wear a mask
• Masks can be any face covering including scarfs – no type of mask protects from the virus 100% but are better than nothing when in close distance to others
• Not compulsory but recommended now, and is backed by AHPPC
• Anybody who is sick – only one reason to leave home, to get a test, otherwise stay home
• If behaviour like gathering in numbers at houses continues, Melbourne is going to have to be locked down for longer than 6 weeks
• Stay at home. The four acceptable reasons for leaving home are not an indication to leave, they are only to allow people to leave for reasonable circumstances – don’t go shopping for things you don’t need