Coronavirus: Aussies told to stay at home unless they need to buy food, exercise, attend medical appointments, work or school

The Australians who should not be leaving their homes have been listed by the PM, with others only to leave for limited reasons.

Australians have been told not to go out in public with more than one other person while all public spaces including parks, playgrounds, skate parks and outside gyms will be closed from midday tomorrow.

In a press conference this evening, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said states and territories could decide whether to make the strict new rules enforceable but it was strongly advised that “unless it's your household, the family, those that are living at your residence” do not go out with more than one other person.

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People walk along the beach front of a closed Coogee beach, 29th March 2020. Picture: Damian Shaw

From tomorrow, all Australians are urged to only go out to shop “for what you need, food and essential supplies”, to shop as infrequently as possible, leaving only to attend medical care, exercise and work or education if they were unable to work or learn remotely.

Those over the age of 70 have been told to self-isolate “for their own protection” and not venture out at all unless for emergency medical appointments, shopping for essentials, exercise and are urged to limit contact with as many others as possible.

The same rules apply to those with chronic illness, who are over 60, and indigenous people over the age of 50.

Previously the advice was for the public to restrict gathers to 10 people or less but Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy said the country had witnessed some “silly behaviour” with Aussies attending parties and flocking to the beach.

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A couple walks along a path leaving Hyde Park in Sydney, Sunday. Picture: Joel Carrett

Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy added, “Essentially, all is being talked about is what we have been saying all week.

“We have to change the way we, as people, interact with each other. It is very simple. We need to all stay home unless we are going out to shop, to do personal exercise, to go to medical appointments, or to go to work or study if you can't work from home.

“So anyone who doesn't need to be out of their home should be in the home. This is radical. The vast majority of Australians have done the right thing in the last week.

“We have seen huge evidence of that but we have also seen some very silly behaviour of people who haven't complied with that, particularly outdoors and sometimes indoors.

“And that's why we feel that it is really important that every Australian does the right thing because for these interventions to take effect, the science shows that you need more than 90 per cent of the population to be doing it all of the time.

“So please continue to do what you are doing.”

Mr Morrison added, “It is not a time for catching up with friends or bumping into people and having a long conversation and maybe drawing a few other friends across to catch up on how is it all going.”

“No, you can't do that anymore. That is what we have to stop doing.”

Groups of people sit on the grass at the south end of a closed Bondi beach on Sunday. Picture: Damian Shaw