Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

close the borders to non-nationals from China, but with other important steps along the way, including the closure in relation to Iran once we observed the high death rate and realised that that indicated that there was clearly a much higher unreported rate than was on the record.

Very specifically, in relation to families and children, we have been working with the states and territories closely. The COAG meeting focused on that element. Just today, the Chief Medical Officer provided the very important reassurance to families and parents that the transmissibility rate to children is low—indeed, potentially lower than the flu itself—and that the consequence when children are infected is low. It has a very low mortality rate. Many cases amongst children will be mild. I think it's important to provide this information to the community, to provide the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, the collective chief health officers across the states and territories and the international community to say to Australian families that we are taking care of you and your children are safe.

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