The people who deal with social distancing and precautions every day

Indeed, this new normal is a standard way of life for those with the debilitating genetic disease, which causes continual lung infections and affects a person's ability to breathe.

"The precautions that most people have to take, for me are day in, day out so hand sanitising regularly, wearing a mask in crowded public spaces, this is something I do regularly now and before COVID-19," he said.

Mr Prowse was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth and about two and a half years ago he had a double lung transplant.

Any infection hits him hard, last year a common cold turned into pneumonia and Mr Prowse had to go into hospital. COVID-19 is now another infection he has to contend with.

"My physical precautions that are in place haven't changed that much. But they have been heightened, those precautions have been heightened slightly with COVID-19 in the global environment," he said.

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While there are no active COVID-19 cases in the ACT, authorities have urged Canberrans to continue to practise social distancing for people like Mr Prowse.

"It's the same principle as a vaccine, it's the community saying we need to protect those particular vulnerable people in our community so we all need to take this on to reduce the risk of transmission of this virus," ACT chief health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said.

"We can't protect our vulnerable people if everyone else is out there transmitting the disease."

Those with a compromised immune system are much more susceptible to getting a severe case of COVID-19, Canberra Health Services clinical expert Professor Imogen Mitchell said.

"It's not a great disease once you get to the severe end because you have an increased likelihood of not surviving," she said.

"Whilst you are still in the cautious period and I think we put ourselves in that because we still know that there is infection in Australia that I think it would be prudent to be cautious in terms of trying to protect our vulnerable.

"Some people because they are so frail die as a result, so I think it's just trying to protect our vulnerable at the moment while we're still not at a stage or phase where we know that the infection is completely stamped out Australia wide."

Restrictions will start to be eased in the coming weeks. But Dr Coleman urged people to remain cautious and still practise social distancing.

"Hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene are the most effective way that people can protect themselves as well as protect others," she said.

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"Also the individual distancing where you are making sure you are about one-and-a-half metres from someone else and through this whole period of time that is what we are going to ask people to do."

Dr Coleman said it was unfair to simply expect people who were immunocompromised to stay home, while others returned to normal activities.

"We do recommend to [vulnerable] people and when there is high levels of virus in the community absolutely is to stay home, but clearly those people have to get out and about at some stage," she said.

"They have to do their shopping, they have to go to medical appointments and also they have their own wellbeing and their rights, we need to live within a society.

Once the transmission risk is not as high I think we need to come together as a community and support every member of the community."

For Mr Prowse he wanted to convey two main messages to the Canberra community. Firstly, he wanted to congratulate Canberrans for their adherence to restrictions and secondly, he warned again complacency.

"I hope going forward, we in the community don't fall into complacency, that we continue to adhere strongly to all the instructions, government and medical instructions to help keep our community safe, particularly those who are vulnerable such as myself," he said.

"Certainly, the thought or the prospect of contracting COVID-19 is pretty confronting so it's so important we as individuals and community keep on this path and stick with the course."