Social distancing may last up to a year: Australian PM Scott Morrison

Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday said that social distancing measures will need to remain until a vaccine against COVID-19 is developed, which he said could take a year. "Social distancing is something we should get very used to for the foreseeable future," Morrison said in an interview with the radio station 3AW, a transcript of which was published on his website.

He said that the measure of maintaining physical distance of at least 1.5 metres will not be relaxed "until there's a vaccine", which according to some estimates could take a year to 18 months, reports Efe news. "It could be a year... But I mean, I'm not speculating about that," Morrison said.

On Thursday, Morrison announced that coronavirus restrictions will remain in place for another four weeks, a period during which parliament will resume, and would be eased gradually, although economic stimulus measures would last until September.

Morrison's government has imposed a series of measures in the wake of the pandemic, which limit gatherings to two people and urge citizens to stay at home unless shopping for essentials, for medical care or to exercise.