Karl Stefanovic has called for schoolchildren who recently travelled to China to be “isolated” to reduce the risk of potentially spreading the deadly coronavirus.
WATCH: Coronavirus terror: Karl Stefanovic calls for children to be ‘isolated’
Speaking during an interview with the education minister on the Today show on Tuesday, Karl argued conflicting reports have left parents nonplussed about preventative measures.
“With the greatest respect, the advice is changing so quickly. Last night, it changed in the dead of the night,” Karl told minister Dan Tehan, referring to the recent travel warning.
“Now it is going to evolve into something else. Isn’t it better that we take precautions now and take it to the extreme?” he asked.
“Just isolate your kids for two weeks, that is not a big burden, otherwise we run the risk of this thing going and spreading faster than we can take control of.”
Despite the TV presenter’s concerns over spreading the virus, the education minister said parents should be following the advice provided by medical experts.
“That advice is unless you’ve been in direct contact with someone who has the virus or is showing symptoms, you are fine to go to school or go to a childcare centre,” Dan said.
“Individual schools can make their own decisions. But as Education Minister, with Health Minister Greg Hunt, we’ve got to take the advice of the medical experts. It is medical experts not only here in Australia, but also overseas.”
After reiterating parents should be following the advice of experts, Dan said the reason for the sudden change to travel warnings was due to medical experts determining it necessary.
“We will change the advice when it comes to schools, when it comes to childcare centres, when it comes to universities if they [experts] advise us that is the right thing to do,” he added.
“We can’t act on whims here. We have to act on the best available information which is provided to us and that is what the Federal Government will continue to do.”
The education minister’s response comes after foreign minister Marise Payne overnight announced new travel advice, saying no one should travel to China’s Hubei province.
Five people have been hospitalised and are being treated for the virus, with four of those cases in NSW alone.
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