Coronavirus emergency declared in ACT: Canberra schools to remain open but buses, trams could stop
A second Canberra man has been infected with coronavirus as Chief Minister Andrew Barr admits ‘there are no short-term solutions for this’.
Canberra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Canberra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- ‘Asthmatics shouldn’t panic about coronavirus’
- NRL plans for season amid coronavirus outbreak
- Deadly 1919 Spanish flu scary echo of coronavirus
The ACT will declare a public emergency after a second Canberra resident tested positive to coronavirus.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Monday morning said the government would formally declare an emergency under the Public Health Act.
Mr Barr told ABC radio that Chief Health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman would have increased powers, including forcing people into isolation or quarantine.
Public schools will remain open for the meantime, Mr Barr said.
“Schools should remain open at this point, with appropriate measures to reduce risk,” he said.
“A nationwide closure of all schools would have significant implications which would need to be thought through.”
If a student tested positive, that school could be closed and students forced to study from home indefinitely.
“There are not short-term solutions to this … this virus will continue to circulate the globe until either everyone is immune from it or there is a vaccine for it.”
Large school assemblies will be cancelled, as will excursions and “unnecessary large gatherings” like fetes and parent-teacher nights.
“This is not a one- or two-week thing, this is the rest of the year, possibly,” Mr Barr said.
“If we close schools, that’s it for the year.
“There is no risk elimination here, there is just risk reduction.”
Unlike NSW and Victoria, the ACT court system will continue to operate with “rescheduling kept to a minimum”.
Chief Justice Helen Murrell said people summonsed for jury duty would still be required to show up to court, with “special measures” put in place to reduce the risk of infection.
“These measures are designed to provide good hygiene and ensure appropriate social distancing between panel members, jurors and others,” Chief Justice Murrell said.
The second case of coronavirus is a man in his 30s, who tested positive late on Sunday.
The positive test was not released until Monday morning, and officials have not publicly released any information about where the man works or may have been while contagious.
He has been put into isolation at home.
It was not known on Monday where the man might have become infected, Dr Coleman said in a statement.
The first man infected with the virus was hospitalised on Thursday.
So far, more than 1000 people have been tested in the ACT, mostly at the Weston Creek walk-in centre.
In coming days, buses and trams might also be cancelled, Mr Barr said.
“We would do everything we can to keep them operational for as long as possible,” he said.
Mr Barr said the economic impact of the outbreak would be dire.
“The situation is going to be grim for months and months and months,” he said.