Coronavirus Australia: Scott Morrison tells Aussies not to travel overseas

Scott Morrison has warned Australians not to travel overseas as he announced unprecedented bans on international flights.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned Australians not to travel overseas as he announced unprecedented bans on international flights in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.

“The travel advice to every Australian is ‘Do not travel abroad’,” he said in a press conference in Canberra.

“Do not go overseas. That is very clear, that instruction. For those who are thinking of going overseas in the school holidays, don’t. Don’t go overseas.”

Mr Morrison said the bans, which would come into effect on March 30 in order to allow Australians overseas to return home, were aimed at removing a major risk factor for the virus’ spread.

“The biggest risk we have had and the biggest incidents of cases we have had, which Dr Murphy can go into, has been from Australians returning from overseas,” Mr Morrison said.

“From many countries that you wouldn’t have expected that to be a source and so it is very important that Australians do not travel abroad at this time.

“That is an indefinite ban but, as you are seeing from other countries around the world, they are putting similar restrictions on entry, just as Australia has on others coming into Australia and you would expect that to be in place now and that is the stage we have reached. “

Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Australians should return home before the virus caused more borders to close.

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Australians who are overseas & want to come home are advised to do so as soon as possible by commercial means. Transport options will likely become more limited as countries respond to the #COVID19 outbreak & @dfat’s capacity to provide consular help may be limited.

— Marise Payne (@MarisePayne) March 17, 2020

From midday on Tuesday, March 17, Australians were no longer able to travel to Europe, with an initial EU ban in place for 30 days.

As COVID-19 cases in Australia near 450, an increase of nearly 300 since Friday, the nation’s chief medical officers are giving the government advice on how to best protect residents in aged care homes and at indoor gatherings.

Non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people have already been banned.

Most schools are already taking precautions, including cancelling excursions and assemblies. A number of private schools have independently taken the decision to move to online classes.

Chief medical officers haven’t ruled out school closures but they’re being cautious about the idea.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said they were hesitant about closing schools for two reasons. The first is that young people are less likely to contract the illness, or have a serious case compared to the elderly.

- with AAP