Playgrounds have been taped off this morning ahead of the new midnight closure.
Last night Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced playgrounds and parks would be closed from 12am in tough new measures announced, including gatherings of only two people. Mr Morrison said people should only leave the house “for what you need, food and essential supplies”. Outdoor gyms and skateparks will also be closed.
Parks in Sydney have been taped off this morning. Picture: Joel Carrett/AAPSource:AAP
Coronavirus can survive on hard, shiny surfaces for up to 72 hours, according to University of Queensland academics Ian Mackay and Katherine Arden.
“The virus does degrade over time, but you should avoid touching these surfaces in shared spaces, and if you can’t do that, avoid touching your face afterward before thoroughly washing your hands,” they said in The Conversation.
The scientists said it would be safer to kick a ball around or play on the grass, rather than use swings. But doctors have even warned against kicking a ball around. US paediatrician Dr Gregory Cain said it was a “big no”. As for walking on tracks, Dr Cain told USA Today people needed to be “really, really careful” and adhere to strict social distancing.
They will be closed from midnight. Picture: Joel Carrett/AAPSource:AAP
Outdoor exercise groups have also been restricted to a limit of two people, meaning no more boot camps.
Chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said anyone who didn’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,” he said last night.
“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.”