From midnight on Sunday 15 March, everyone entering Australia from overseas, except for flight attendants and residents of the Pacific Islands, is required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival. Failing to do so risks thousands in fines. Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland have also imposed mandatory self-isolation requirements on non-essential travellers from interstate – including residents returning home. But what does self-isolation actually mean, and can you still Uber home from the airport? We answered your burning questions. Can I get a taxi, Uber or public transport home from the airport? The prime minister, Scott Morrison, indicated that people subject to self-isolation would still be able to take taxis and public transport from airports. People who need to travel domestically after arriving in Australia will be able to continue their journey, beginning self-isolation when they arrive at their destination, according to Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton. However, in Western Australia, people will be asked to undertake their self-isolation at the point of entry, so at Eucla or Kununurra if they are arriving by road. It’s important to maintain hygiene measures while in transit. Use hand sanitiser and cough into your elbow or into a tissue, and maintain a 1.5-metre distance from other passengers where possible. If you are a recently returned traveller in New South Wales, you must wear a surgical mask while travelling to your home or hotel. The safest way to get home from the airport is for someone you live with to pick you up. If you have to take an Uber or a taxi, it’s worth sitting in the back seat and keeping a note of the vehicle number or the driver. Why doesn’t the ban include Pacific Islanders? Travellers from the Pacific Islands who are transiting through Australia are currently exempt from the 14-day self-isolation requirement in both Australia and New Zealand. This exemption is explicitly mentioned in the Victorian state of emergency declaration. That is because many Pacific Island nations are only accessible via Australia and New Zealand. There have also been very few cases of Covid-19 in the Pacific. I don’t live alone. Does my family have to self-isolate as well? Can I share a bed with my partner? This depends. If you have been diagnosed with Covid-19, anyone you live with will be classed as a close contact, so all of you will need to self-isolate. If you are self-isolating as a precaution, for example because you have just returned from overseas, they do not need to self-isolate – but you should stay as far away from them as possible. Use a separate bedroom and bathroom if possible. Ensure everyone in the home washes their hands frequently, and surfaces and doorknobs are frequently wiped with an alcohol-based disinfectant. Try to stay at least 1.5 metres away from the other people in your home. You cannot have visitors. Can I look after children, elderly parents or vulnerable people? It’s recommended you stay away from people who are particularly vulnerable to the virus, including elderly relatives, and minimise contact with other people, including children. If you are experiencing symptoms, wear a mask or a makeshift mask. Moy said people needing to look after children or parents while in self-isolation should maintain good hygiene practices and minimise contact. Try to keep a 1.5-metre distance when possible, wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, and disinfect surfaces. “To expect hard and fast rules is difficult,” he said. “We’re asking for patience, commonsense and probably a level of ingenuity from the public to get us through this.” Can I go for a walk? Each state and territory has slightly different laws around self-isolating, but if you are under a mandatory order to self-isolate it’s best to avoid going outside for anything but medical appointments and emergencies. Wear a mask when outside. The Australian government’s health advice recommends exercise DVDs or walking around your backyard. Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases expert from Australian National University, said the thing to keep in mind was proximity to other people – which means a walk alone, at a quiet time of day, should be fine. But the deputy chief health officer, Paul Kelly, said people on self-isolation for quarantine reasons should not leave their property at all, which is also implied in the federal government guidelines. The situation may be different if you are under a legislative order, in which case you will have to abide by the rules set down in each state. I have been self-isolating as a precaution and now I feel sick. What should I do? If you are self-isolating because you have returned from overseas or interstate, or have had contact with a known case, and you begin to notice respiratory symptoms (particularly fever, shortness of breath or a cough), contact your state or territory health department, your GP or the emergency clinic of your local hospital. Call before attending your GP or hospital to warn them you may have the virus. If you have severe shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, call triple zero. You will not be able to get a test unless you fit certain high-risk criteria and have respiratory symptoms. The Australian government is not testing asymptomatic people. Kelly indicated on 23 March that the testing criteria might be changed because the number of international travellers had dropped significantly due to travel restrictions. Those new criteria have not been released. Only a finite number of tests is available. If you have symptoms of pneumonia you will be tested regardless of travel or contact history. What if I run out of food? Ask a neighbour, family member or friend to deliver groceries to you. These should be left outside your door. The same goes for grocery deliveries and takeaway food. In Victoria, care packages will be delivered to vulnerable people who do not have friends or family to help out. Those care packages can be requested by calling the health department. Some community groups are also organising to provide food and supplies to people in isolation. If you have a neighbourhood Facebook group, check with them. What’s the difference between self-isolation and social distancing? If you are self-isolating you cannot go outside (except to the backyard) for any reason, other than emergencies or for medical appointments. Self-isolation is a requirement for people who have potentially been exposed, are entering Australia or moving between certain states or territories within Australia. It’s mandatory for 14 days from point of contact or point of entry, and if you become unwell in that time you need to notify health authorities to get a test for Covid-19. If you are diagnosed with Covid-19, you are effectively under continual self-isolation until your doctors say otherwise. Social distancing is a preventive measure. If you are socially distancing, you can still leave the house, go to the supermarket, or go for a run, but you should not socialise. If you cannot work from home, you can still go to work. If schools are open in your state your children can go to school, although the recommendation from some premiers is that you keep them home anyway. Social distancing means you limit your movement to essential activities. It’s recommended you do not visit people who may be particularly vulnerable to the virus, such as elderly people. As of 12pm on 23 March, you cannot go to a cinema, casino, restaurant, cafe, pub, place or worship. The list of places that have been shut down may grow. The official health advice from the Australian government defines social distancing as remaining 1.5m from other people at all times. The Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said people should not be socialising in their homes. Authorities have cracked down on people going to the beach, or gathering in public places. There are bans on outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people and indoor gatherings of more than 100, or where there is not at least 4 sq m of space per person. If you breach those mass gathering rules, you face a fine. But at this stage, broader rules around social distancing are not being enforced. What happens if I don’t self-isolate? Self-isolation for 14 days is mandatory for any one who arrived in Australia after 12.01am on 16 March, and financial penalties apply. Those penalties also apply to anyone who ignores state-specific self-isolation requirements, and to people who have been ordered to self-isolate because they have potentially been exposed to the virus. If you are required to self-isolate you will be told by Border Force authorities at the airport, state police at a domestic border, or the health department. More information National coronavirus hotline – 1800 020 080 NSW – 1300 066 055 Victoria – 1800 675 398 Queensland – 13 HEALTH or 13 432 584 South Australia – 1300 232 272 Western Australia – 1300 62 32 92 Tasmania – 1800 671 738 ACT – Business hours: 02 5124 9213, after hours: 02 9962 4155 Northern Territory – 08 8922 8044