Rachel Griffiths has urged her social media followers to go into ‘total social isolation’ for the next two weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, the 51-year-old actress shared a screenshot of a Facebook post by Dan Suan, a specialist immunologist at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital.
Mr Suan stressed the importance of ‘complete interpersonal distancing’ in containing the virus and saving ‘countless Australian lives’.
Minimising contact: Rachel Griffiths, 51, urged her Instagram fans on Sunday to go into ‘total social isolation’ for the next weeks, amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured in November
‘The next two weeks is absolutely critical to the direction of this curve [how Australia fares in comparison to other countries],’ Mr Suan wrote.
‘Total social isolation, complete interpersonal distancing, combined with massively increased testing will flatten this curve and save countless Australian lives.’
Mr Suan said this can be done without vaccines and antivirals, and said Australians need to make it their ‘personal responsibility’ to have minimal contact with others.
Expert advice: The actress shared a screenshot of a Facebook post by Dan Suan, a specialist immunologist at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital. Mr Suan said the ‘next two weeks is absolutely critical’
‘To protect our health system, health workers and the vulnerable’: Rachel revealed in her post’s caption that she is following Mr Suan’s advice and is going into social isolation
‘Cancel all unnecessary things,’ he insisted. ‘We have a narrow window of opportunity to do this, this could not be more urgent.’
Rachel revealed in her post’s caption that she is following Mr Suan’s advice and is going into social isolation.
‘Social distancing in the next two weeks to protect our health system, health workers and the vulnerable in our community, from a respected immunologist,’ she wrote.
Critical issue: ‘Cancel all unnecessary things,’ Mr Suan (pictured) insisted. ‘We have a narrow window of opportunity to do this, this could not be more urgent’
Cancel events: It comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured during a press conference on Friday) said non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people should not take place from Monday in a drastic step to halt the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19)
It comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people should not take place from Monday in a drastic step to halt the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
‘We will be advising against organised, non-essential gatherings of persons of 500 people or greater from Monday,’ Mr Morrison said in a press conference on Friday.
The move has been hailed by infectious diseases experts, who say it will be critical in slowing the virus’ spread and help prevent overloading hospital intensive care units.
Major sport and music events around the globe, including the Australian Grand Prix and Download Australia Festival, were cancelled on Friday amid the crisis.
No studio audiences: Channel Ten has also cancelled studio audiences for Dancing With The Stars, The Project, Studio 10 and Australian Survivor: All Stars Reunion, effective immediately. Pictured are The Project hosts from left to right: Peter Helliar, Waleed Aly and Carrie Bickmore
Channel Ten has also cancelled studio audiences for Dancing With The Stars, The Project, Studio 10 and Australian Survivor: All Stars Reunion, effective immediately.
Coronavirus is a respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath and fatigue. It can produce pneumonia.
The spread of the disease, which began in Wuhan, China, has seen over 156,000 cases worldwide and more than 5,800 fatalities.
As of the afternoon of Sunday March 15, the total number of Australians diagnosed with the virus was 295, including three deaths.
Statistics: As of the afternoon of Sunday March 15, the total number of Australians diagnosed with the virus was 295, including three deaths