Health Experts Warn Australians Not To Hug Loved Ones At Christmas

We're just a few weeks away from Christmas and it looks like it'll be a bumper day for Australians.

While the coronavirus pandemic is still very much front of mind, restrictions have eased to the point that dozens of us are allowed to gather outside or at someone's home.

Many will be meeting up to celebrate December 25, however health authorities have warned everyone to still keep socially distanced.

Health Minister Greg Hunt says Australia has done such a good job during the pandemic and have largely stuck to the rules. But he wants everyone to not suddenly become lazy.

"Maintain the distancing habits," he told News Corp. "And that's whether it's the hand hygiene, whether it's the cough (into elbow), whether it's not handshaking yet, not hugging people from your household.

"I know they're slightly counterintuitive, and they're contrary to our nature, but these are the things that have kept us safe this year.

"Maintaining the physical touch for the household, but not for others...that's still the medical advice."

The borders are expected to be open to pretty much everyone in Australia by Christmas, meaning there will be plenty of people crisscrossing the country in cars, planes, trains and buses.

Australia has a little more than 1,600 active cases of coronavirus at the moment, with the majority being in hotel quarantine after returning from overseas.

Several states and territories have gone weeks and even months without new community transmissions and loads of people are getting excited for the moment the coronavirus vaccine will arrive on our shores.

However, authorities are concerned that the increased amount of travel during the Christmas and New Year period will raise the threat of Covid-19 spread.

Mr Hunt has advised everyone to use a common sense approach.

"Those rules are still very important for keeping us safe, but we've done an amazing job," Mr Hunt said. "The world looks at Australia and says, 'wow, how did you do it, and we wish you were in your position'.

"We've got a little bit more to go."

International travel has been ruled out until at least the middle of next year, however that will entirely depend on the vaccine as well as whether authorities believe it's time to open the borders up.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie