|

Australians urged to adopt phone tracking app in coronavirus fight

News Service
10:34 - 17/04/2020 Cuma
Update: 11:37 - 17/04/2020 Cuma
REUTERS
The TraceTogether app has been available in Singapore since March 20
The TraceTogether app has been available in Singapore since March 20

SCHOOL'S OUT

Officials in the country's most populous state, New South Wales, on Thursday said they were considering imposing an ongoing roster system for children to return to school after the current Easter vacation.

Schools have been a source of division between the federal government, which has urged them to reopen, and the states and territories, which are responsible for their governance. Morrison has cited data showing the low risk of transmission posed by children, while state officials are dealing with a backlash from parents and teachers concerned about exposure to the virus.

"We are considering our options around a rostering system which will have some students go back on a particular day to increase that level of face-to-face," New South Wales (NSW) Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters. "The alternative is that unfortunately students could face up to a year or longer at home and we don't think that's appropriate."

For universities, which rely on fees from international students, the international border closure could cost them as much as A$19 billion ($12.09 billion), Victoria University said in an analysis released on Friday, forecasting a further A$38 billion hit to the broader economy.

In the neighbouring Pacific islands, Papua New Guinea Prime (PNG) Minister James Marape said he has been tested for COVID-19 after exposure to an infected employee at the country's emergency operations centre.

PNG has also introduced lockdown measures, including a nightly curfew, a ban on all public gatherings, the closure of public transport and the prohibition of the sale of alcohol, Marape said in an emailed statement.

($1 = 1.5713 Australian dollars)

#TraceTogether
#Australia
4 yıl önce