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Crowded Australian beaches prompt new restrictions to combat coronavirus



Scenes of crowded beaches in defiance of social distancing guidelines have spurred Australian officials to take tougher steps to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Australia's prime minister has ordered a shutdown of all non-essential services as coronavirus cases spike in the country, according to a report Sunday.

Pubs, clubs, gyms, movie theaters and places of worship have been ordered to close as of midday Monday, while restaurants and cafes will have to switch to take-out only, the BBC reports.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the new restrictions after a national cabinet meeting.

The new measures come after large crowds gathered Saturday on Sydney's beaches. including world-famous Bondi Beach, flouting social distancing advice.

"What happened in Bondi was unacceptable, and the local council must take steps to stop that from occurring,” said Greg Hunt, Australia's health minister, according to Sky News.

Morrison said federal and state governments decided to act because Australians were not obeying health guidelines, according to the BBC.

But he added: "We are not putting in place lockdowns that put people in and confine them to their homes. That is not a measure that has been contemplated at this point."

Australia now has at least 1,315 coronavirus cases -- a number has risen sharply over the last few days.

Marin County closes all of its parks in response to massive crowds despite pandemic

Even though the state has a shelter-in-place order, Stinson Beach was crowded on March 21, 2020.

One day after scolding the public for packing its beaches and parks despite a statewide shelter-in-place order due to the coronavirus pandemic, Marin County on Sunday announced it was closing all of its parks.

The immediate closure affects over 18,000 acres in federal, state and local parks. They include Point Reyes National Seashore, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Muir Woods National Monument, Stinson Beach and Point Bonita Lighthouse.

“They are experiencing typical summer crowds or even bigger,” said Sgt. Brenton Schneider of the Marin County Sheriff’s Office in the county’s statement. “This is creating unsafe conditions for employees working at businesses that are staying open because they are deemed essential. Those workers are being overwhelmed and they are fearful about all the close contact that they’re witnessing.”

On Saturday, Marin County Fire posted images of Stinson Beach packed with people and the little town of Dillon Beach mired by gridlock traffic. The state and health experts advise people to keep 6 feet of distance from others at all times.

"We understand the communities’ frustration with the LARGE amount of people traveling to the Coast today and NOT adhering to the Shelter Order," the fire department tweeted. "The influx of people is putting our vulnerable residents at risk. Please stay at home!"

The sheriff's office said the visitors created traffic congestion, which interferes with first responders' ability to handle emergencies. In addition, state and county park parking lots and bathrooms are closed due to the shelter-in-place order, adding to further congestion and creating problems with sanitation.

While the shelter-in-place orders allow people to step outside their homes for exercise, to walk the dog or get some fresh air, officials are discouraging people from flooding popular outdoor recreation spots. "Marin is usually a place for recreation, but now is not the time," Dr. Lisa Santora, Marin's deputy public health officer, said in a statement.

As of Sunday, Marin County had reported 38 cases of novel coronavirus.

For more information on the closures, visit Marin County’s parks website.

People have been urged not to go on holiday to Cornwall amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

MP for St Austell and Newquay, Steve Double, has written an open letter urging people to cancel their holidays to Cornwall.

Cornwall Council has also released a statement asking people to stay away from the county, but requesting the government ensure both businesses reliant on the tourism industry and those cancelling holidays are protected.

It has asked visitors to re-arrange their trips to later in the year, saying that "welcoming visitors back to Cornwall will be key to our economic recovery".

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/20 ... -outbreak/