Australians have mostly heeded the call to stay home over Easter, with movements across the country down to 13 per cent of the same time last year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Health Minister Greg Hunt said Australians had responded "magnificently" and the way authorities had hoped as part of the bid to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Data for Easter Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday showed movements were significantly down on previous years, in what is usually one of the busiest times for travel across the country. Data for Easter Sunday isn't available yet.
"That means that Australians are making a difference. They are saving lives and protecting lives with their own actions," Mr Hunt said.
Growth in new cases was now below 2 per cent a day, Mr Hunt said, meaning Australia was now consolidating on work to flatten the curve.
"That doesn't mean we're out of our challenge. There is still growth and there could, at any time, be outbreaks and spikes. But this is a cause for real hope and real aspiration."
READ MORE:
Despite the good news, it is still too early to say when social distancing measures could be eased, Mr Hunt said.
"What we want to do now is to, in particular, consolidate the containment.
"We want to work towards an effective eradication, but as the Chief Medical Officer actually said this morning, we can never guarantee that absolutely, but we want to work towards that effective eradication."
Politicians and advisers were "actively planning that road out" of restrictions, the Health minister said.
Any relaxations of those measures will depend on three elements, clear indication that case numbers are being suppressed in Australia, ensuring there is rapid response capability and contact tracing capability, and a planning for gradual steps out of the pandemic response.
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
Our COVID-19 news articles relating to public health and safety are free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support. If you're looking to stay up to date on COVID-19, you can also sign up for our twice-daily digest here.
Sally Whyte
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
