Non-Essential Services Have Now Shut Down In Australia Due To Coronavirus

Non-essential services across Australia have now shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this was necessary to ensure people across the country avoid unnecessary social contact with others and, as a result, potential infection of Covid-19.

Mr Morrison said he was dismayed at the number of Aussies who didn't adhere to social distancing advice last week.

"We don't now have any confidence that people would refrain from gathering in those ways, in those pubs, clubs and nightclubs," Mr Morrison said at a press conference in Canberra last night.

"We have no confidence that will be followed. So unfortunately, because guidelines can't be followed, then for public health reasons we now need to take further action which shuts those gatherings down."

Essential services that will stay open include supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores, petrol stations, medical and health facilities, banks, freight and logistics, food delivery, hairdressers and beauticians.

Non-essential services include gyms, pubs, cinemas, places of worship, theatres, casinos, nightclubs and indoor sporting venues.

Cafes and restaurants will only be able to offer takeaway services.

Bottle shops will be allowed to stay open after it was declared they were an 'essential' service.

All other workers are still able to go to work as long as their industry or trade has been specified by the Prime Minister. You should still practice social distancing where possible.

Mr Morrison added: "Home deliveries, takeaway, all of these things will continue, as I know many of these catering businesses are already adjusting their business models in anticipation of things that they believed would potentially take place."

Indoor public gatherings will remain at a capacity of 100 people or less, however each venue will only be able to admit one person per four square metres.

Outdoor public gatherings remain capped at 500 people.

Beaches have been shut down across Sydney because of the overwhelming number of people who flocked to the shores on Friday.

"The premiers and chief ministers together with myself will be considering stage two restrictions in this area, but what we first want to see is we want to see the public respond to these very serious measures," Mr Morrison said.

These restrictions will be in force indefinitely and could last up to six months or more.

Schools haven't been ordered to shut on a federal level, however some states have introduced their own rules.

Victoria and the ACT will close schools to avoid children coming into contact with the virus.

Schools in New South Wales will have to remain open however parents are being advised to keep their kids at home unless there's no other option.

Across the globe, more than 329,000 people have been infected with coronavirus, more than 14,000 have died and 97,000 have recovered.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Coronavirus, 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