All people coming to Australia will now have to self-isolate as the Morrison government took further steps to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Following a phone hook-up with state and territory leaders under a new national cabinet on Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison also banned cruise ships from arriving at Australian ports for an initial 30 days.
"All people coming to Australia will be required, I stress, to self isolate for 14 days," Mr Morrison told reporters in Sydney.
The advice will be re-examined on a weekly basis.
"We know that the virus cannot be absolutely stop. Of course not, no one can do that. But we can slow the spread. And we anticipate that will be our task over the next six months," Mr Morrison said.
"No one can know for certain how long this will run. It could be shorter than that, it could be longer than that. And the measures that we are putting in place as a government is making those types of assumptions, but that is being updated on a daily basis.
"We are going to have to get used to more changes in the way that we live our lives over the next six months or so. There will be further intrusions. There will be further restrictions on people's movements and behaviour, but the point is, you do it in a timely way. You do it in a managed way, you do it in a careful way."
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
All people arriving in Australia from midnight Sunday will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Cruise ships from foreign ports are banned for 30 days.
Non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people will be banned from Monday, but this does not apply to workplaces, schools, universities, supermarkets or public transport.
A national advertising campaign urges people to wash their hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, dispose of tissues, and avoid contact with others if they're feeling unwell.
ANALYSIS
"We are facing a one in 100-year event," Nine's Political Editor Chris Uhlmann said.
"In 1919, we faced the Spanish flu and we are seeing pretty much the same thing as what happened then."
On self-distancing measures, Mr Uhlmann added: "As the Prime Minister says, we will not be looking at having police looking after those sorts of things, but should you breach that law, it will actually be breaking a law and you could be prosecuted for that
"He also said handshakes are over. Social distancing will be the word of 2020."This is just the beginning of what will come."
