COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. Symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat and shortness of breath. The virus can spread from person to person, but good hygiene can prevent infection.The Department of Health has listed some recommendations to limit the chance of infection.  

Everyone must practise good hygiene to protect against infection and prevent the virus spreading.

Good hygiene includes:

• covering your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue
• disposing of tissues properly
• washing your hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet
• using alcohol-based hand sanitisers
• cleaning and disinfecting surfaces
• if you are sick, avoiding contact with others
• social distancing - staying more than 1.5 metres away from people

Additional measures have also been introduced.  Travellers entering Australia since midnight on Sunday night, 15th March, 2020 must self isolate for 14 days.