Coronavirus crisis: New restrictions understood to have been ticked off by Prime Minister Scott Morrison banning crowds over 100 people in pubs and clubs

Australians will face a radically different way of life with indoor crowd restrictions limited to 100 — and potentially as few as 50 people — from this week. All Australians abroad are being asked to return home immediately along with advice from the Federal Government for no Australian to travel overseas as countries lock down their borders. The National Cabinet of State and Territory leaders and the Prime Minister Scott Morrison are tonight meeting to decide on tough new measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 in Australia. Among the moves understood to be ticked off were new restrictions for indoor gatherings such as cinemas, pubs and restaurants to be in force from this week. The gathering of Australians in large numbers indoors will be banned to 100 or fewer following earlier restrictions that came into place on Monday banning mass gatherings of 500 or more. It follows the decision by the United States to ban all public gatherings of 10 or more people yesterday. And locking down nursing homes, as well as the future of schools, and measures for indigenous communities was also considered. More schools from tomorrow will start trialling online-only classes. The West Australian can also reveal 97,000 new coronavirus-testing kits will arrive in Australia this week after fears many State stockpiles were near-depleted. DFAT tonight advised all Australians overseas to come home amid fears more countries will lock down their borders completely. “We now advise all Australians to reconsider your need for overseas travel at this time,” the department said on its smartraveller website. “If you’re already overseas and wish to return to Australia, we recommend you do so as soon as possible by commercial means.” The 97,000 new tests were due to arrive in Australia this week after WA deputy chief health officer Robin Lawrence last week said our State was down to only a week’s supply. It is not known how many of the 97,000 tests will come to WA. To date more than 81,000 tests have been performed in Australia with 414 Australians testing positive for coronavirus. Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government was “doing everything possible to avoid shortages in testing equipment.” “We’re focused on securing Australia’s testing supplies and trying to have more types of tests. The aim is to have more tests and more types so we can avoid any disruption in the large scale testing regime we have in place in Australia,” Mr Hunt said. “We’re working alongside Australia’s leading medical experts to ensure we flatten the curve of the spread of coronavirus to save lives.” Mr Hunt also said a Melbourne lab had developed an alternative testing process to ensure Australia was not reliant on internationally manufactured testing kits. It is understood the Government is hoping to unveil further alternative tests and testing supplies it has obtained in the coming week to ensure the country doesn’t face disruptions to its coronavirus testing. The government is looking at additional stimulus measures to be announced this week on top of the $17.6 billion stimulus package last week. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann conceded “the grim reality” that “many businesses” would close. “We are going to try to keep as many Australians in jobs as possible, working in the best possible way, including with businesses around Australia,” he said. The Reserve Bank flagged earlier this week it would launch additional measures tomorrow, potentially another rate cut and buying of bonds.

Coronavirus crisis: New restrictions understood to have been ticked off by Prime Minister Scott Morrison banning crowds over 100 people in pubs and clubs

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