Advice for slowing the coronavirus spread

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS?

* Practice social distancing - keep a space of 1.5 metres between you and other people

* Stop shaking hands

* Stop hugging, except for family members

* Practice good hand hygiene, washing frequently with soap for 20 seconds, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet

* Sit in the back seat of taxis or car-share rides such as Ubers

* Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, and throw out tissues

* Use alcohol-based hand sanitisers

* Clean and disinfect surfaces, door handles and frequently used objects such as mobiles, keys and wallets

* Stay home if you are unwell

* Avoid large public gatherings if they're not essential (gatherings of more than 500 people outdoors and 100 people indoors are now banned)

* Minimise physical contact, especially with people at higher risk such as older people and people with existing health conditions

* Keep children away from grandparents and other at-risk people

* Get a flu shot - vaccinations should be widely available from late March

* There is no need to wear a surgical mask if you are well

* Keep sending children to school but make sure they understand the importance of regular hand-washing

* Don't share dodgy information online and check that anything you are sharing or forwarding comes from a credible source such as health.gov.au, the prime minister and chief medical officer in person, or the ABC's coronavirus podcast.