People Who Cough Or Spit On NSW Emergency Workers To Get On-The-Spot $5,000 Fine

The New South Wales government has increased the penalty for people who deliberately cough or spit on emergency workers.

Offenders can get an on-the-spot fine of $5,000 if they affect health workers, police, pharmacists, paramedics or other public officials.

The move is designed to crack down on people potentially infecting these workers with the coronavirus.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said: "Every day our doctors and nurses, police and paramedics put their health and safety on the line to protect us, and a threat to them is a threat to us.

NSW Police/Facebook

"The virus has infected thousands of health workers around the world and killed many, so if you deliberately risk people's health you will be fined and possibly imprisoned."

The state government has also included a clause in the legislation that means people who perform these despicable acts towards police officers can face up to six months behind bars.

Police Minister David Elliott has been horrified by accounts of these front line workers being threatened with a potentially deadly disease while on duty.

He added: "Like most people, I find the recent actions of a handful of individuals utterly foul and obnoxious but worryingly, the behaviour is potentially life-threatening.

PA

"Covid-19 kills - the global death toll is already more than 85,000 people and climbing - so if you spit or cough on any of our police officers, who are putting their own safety on the line to protect you, you will face the consequences and be slapped with a fine."

Police officers won't hesitate to hand out the fines, especially amid this pandemic.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has ordered his officers to be on the lookout for people who seek to cause panic during this time.

"Foul acts like coughing and spitting, which can potentially spread Covid-19, pose a risk to public safety, so police won't hesitate to take action," Mr Fuller said.

"The rules are clear and they apply to everyone, so if you decide to ignore a direction, you will be caught and you will receive a hefty fine and possibly a prison sentence."

Topics: 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