A statement from the Department of Health Western Australia about large gatherings and the need for continued caution
The Department of Health Western Australia endorses the advice released by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) on Friday 5 June 2020.
Western Australia has achieved amazing results to date with limiting the spread of COVID-19 within the community, and this is greatly in part to the people of Western Australia following the guidelines and restrictions.
However, people should not become complacent. The threat of COVID-19 to Western Australia and indeed the world remains real and current. We are continuing to see cases come in from overseas travellers in quarantine, and it will only take just one case within the community to start an outbreak.
The most important protection for all of us, as we return to more normal activities, is for each Western Australian to show personal responsibility and always practise our new ways of interacting and hygiene. We must all practise physical distancing of 1.5 metres. We must be fastidious with hand and cough hygiene at home, at work and when out in the community. We must all remember to stay home and get tested for COVID-19 if we have even mild cold or flu-like symptoms.
One of the main methods to contain COVID-19 is the early identification of positive cases, and the ability to quickly contact trace and quarantine close contacts. Contact tracing is made much more difficult in situations such as protests, as close contacts cannot be identified and followed up.
Although WA Health’s current recommendation is to not attend mass gatherings of any kind, including protests, should individuals choose to participate, they should maintain appropriate physical distancing and hand and respiratory hygiene. If you are older, immunocompromised or sick, stay at home.
Every Western Australian must play their part in keeping our state in its currently enviable place.
Visit WA Health’s HealthyWA website for the latest information on COVID-19.
ENDS
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