We need to act now!

It’s clear that the government’s response has been insufficient and that we’re going to face significant health, social and economic disasters.

By acting now you can reduce the impact of coronavirus on your family and society.

You should work on the assumption that you and everyone outside of your immediate family are already infected as the coronavirus is contagious before any symptoms become apparent.

The statistics are delayed by up to a week as it takes time to fall sick, get tested and get the results back. They also underestimate the number of cases as many people don’t feel ill or don’t get tested.

We have bushfire plans, but no pandemic plans

Bushfire plans are a simple plan that families in fire-prone areas prepare so that if a fire threatens their home they know what to do.

Instead of panic, they take action. Many lives and homes have been saved by effective bushfire plans.

Create a plan with your family

A good plan is based on good questions that start a discussion about what you would do in certain circumstances.

• Do we have at least one weeks food supply? (Note that supermarkets are unlikely to close in a lockdown)
• Which essential medications are we taking now that may be unavailable?
• How will we look after children in the event their school closes?
• Who is a higher risk in our family (hypertension, respiratory illness, immune-compromised & elderly)
• How will we isolate high risk family members?
• What will we do if someone in our family is sick?
• How will we isolate sick family members?
• How can we convince our employer to allow us to work from home?
• What will we do if our income is affected?
• How will we have fun and socialise while maintaining social isolation?

Your plan should be written down and referred to in the event that a family member falls ill.

Additional resources

Get more information from these resources:

• World Health Organisation (WHO) advice for the public: Get basic protective measures against coronavirus.
• World Health Organisation (WHO) Q&A on coronavirus: Get answers to some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) about coronavirus, answered by WHO health experts.
• World Health Organisation (WHO) myth busters: There is a lot of myth surrounding the coronavirus. WHO health experts have separated the facts from fiction.
• Australian Department of Health COVID-19 information page: Stay updated with the current status and information regarding coronavirus in Australia.
• Australian COVID-19 National Health Plan: A collection of downloadable health plans and fact sheets outlining the funding measures undertaken by the Australian Government.
• Australian Department of Health COVID-19 fact sheets: Get downloadable resources for the general public, health professionals and the industry regarding coronavirus in Australia.
• Coronavirus Health Information Line (Australia): Call 1800 020 080 if you need information regarding coronavirus. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.