Scott Morrison has announced at a press conference that he believes a coronavirus pandemic is upon the world, and that his government will be acting accordingly.
Morrison stood with health minister Greg Hunt, and deputy chief medical officer Paul Kellytold as he told press that the federal government will be putting an emergency response plan into place to deal with the potential of a coronavirus pandemic hitting Aussie shores.
The details of the emergency response plan weren’t given, but Morrison was very clear about his belief that things were dire.
“We believe the risk of global pandemic is very much upon us and as a result, as a government, we need to take the steps necessary to prepare for such a pandemic,” he said.
He did, however, say that it’s not panic stations.
There is no need for us to be moving to having mass gatherings of people stopped – if you want to go to the football and the cricket and play with your friends down the street, you can go out to the concert and you can go out for a Chinese meal.
The Chinese meal mention is particularly of note, after news one of Brisbane’s most popular Chinese restaurants King Of Kings has been forced into closure due to a decline in patrons, allegedly over the coronavirus panic.
He also said the travel ban to China will be continuing for another week.
