COVID-19 FAQs

WHY IS SOCIAL DISTANCING IMPORTANT FOR CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?

Social distancing is important because COVID-19 is most likely to spread from person-to-person through:

• direct close contact with a person while they are infectious or in the 24 hours before their symptoms appeared
• close contact with a person with a confirmed infection who coughs or sneezes, or
• touching objects or surfaces (such as door handles or tables) contaminated from a cough or sneeze from a person with a confirmed infection, and then touching your mouth or face.

The more space between you and others, the harder it is for the virus to spread.

STRATEGIES ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE IN PUBLIC, AT HOME, AND AT WORK

Below are some ways to keep you distance in public, at home, and at work to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Social distancing in public:

• stay at home and only go out if it is absolutely essential
• keep 1.5 metres away from others
• avoid physical greetings such as handshaking, hugs and kisses
• use tap and go instead of cash
• travel at quiet times and avoid crowds
• avoid public gatherings and at risk groups like older people
• practise good hygiene

Social distancing at home:

All Australians are required to stay home unless it is necessary to go outside.

You are permitted to leave home for the essentials:

• shopping for food
• exercising — in a public space such as a park, limited to no more than 2 people
• going out for medical appointments or to the pharmacy
• providing care or support to another person in a place other than your home
• going to work if you cannot work from home.

Steps for social distancing in all homes include:

• keeping visitors to a minimum
• regularly disinfecting surfaces that are touched a lot, such as tables, kitchen benches, hand rails and doorknobs
• increasing ventilation in the home by opening windows or adjusting air conditioning.

Social distancing at work:

If you can, work from home. If you cannot work from home and you are sick, you must not attend your workplace.

Steps for social distancing in the workplace include:

• stop shaking hands to greet others
• consider cancelling non-essential meetings. If needed, hold meetings via video conferencing or phone call
• put off large meetings to a later date
• hold essential meetings outside in the open air if possible
• promote good hand, sneeze and cough hygiene
• provide alcohol-based hand rub for all staff
• eat lunch at your desk or outside rather than in the lunch room
• regularly clean and disinfect surfaces that many people touch
• open windows or adjust air conditioning for more ventilation
• limit food handling and sharing of food in the workplace
• avoid non-essential travel
• promote strict hygiene among food preparation (canteen) staff and their close contacts

For more information on social distancing for coronavirus (COVID-19), visit Australian Government Department of Health

HOW CAN I KEEP IN TOUCH WITH OTHERS WHILE PRACTISING SOCIAL DISTANCING?

You can still keep in touch with family, friends, work colleagues and others while you practise social distancing by:

• use video chats
• make phone calls to people you would normally catch up with in person
• use online groups to interact
• chat with neighbours while keeping 1.5 metres apart
• look after your mental health by visiting Head to Health website for more information, click here

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