Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a nationwide crackdown on social gatherings to stop the spread of COVID-19.

House parties, barbecues, birthdays and a host of leisure activities will be banned from midnight Wednesday as Australia moves to the next stage of the fight against coronavirus.

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Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons and tattoo parlours are among the latest things banned by the Federal Government to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Australia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the measures on Tuesday which included shutting down food courts except for takeaway.

Cafes will continue to be allowed to provide takeaway only. Food markets will continue to operate in all states and territories.

Hairdressers and barber shops will remain open with up to 30 minute appointments and the 1 person per 4 square metre rule applies in the premises. Spas and massage parlours will have to shut, as will s trip clubs, brothels and sex on premises venues.

Auctions, open house inspections will also be banned along with amusement parks and arcades. Play centres are also now included in the shutdown.

Community and recreation centres, health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre, spin facilities, saunas, wellness centres will shut.

Boot camps and personal training sessions are limited to a maximum of 10 people with strict social distancing rules observed.

Social sporting-based activities and swimming pools will be ordered to close.

Galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, libraries, community centres, non-essential facilities, community facilities such as halls will be closed.

Caravan and camping parks will be a decision for each state and territory.

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SOCIAL ACTIVITIES BANNED, SCHOOLS REMAIN OPEN

Weddings will also be restricted to the couple, celebrant and witnesses with no more than five people and funerals will be restricted to ten.

“Large gatherings for weddings, sadly, won’t be possible under these new arrangements. Sadly, also, and I know this will be very difficult, funerals to no more than 10 persons observing the rules around the 4-square metre rule and the social distancing practices,” the Prime Minister said.

People will be urged to stay home unless it is “absolutely necessary you go out. Going out for the basics, going out for an exercise, perhaps with your partner or family members, provided it’s a small group, that’s fine.

“But going outside and going out and participating more broadly in the community unless you’re shopping for basics or there are medical needs or you’re providing care and support to an individual at another place,” the Prime Minister said.

He said it would take a “significant sacrifice” to avoid birthday parties and social events but it was too great a risk to have such things take place.

Australians will be banned from international travel.

“As soon as that direction is signed off by the health minister, it will come into force then and that will happen (Wednesday),” he said.

Schools however will remain open and the Prime Minister insisted “it is safe to send your children to school.”

“It’s going to be a tough year in 2020 and one of the things I don’t want to have yielded up is a year of a child’s education, which is so important. We need to work so hard together to try and ensure that those kids get that education and that is not lost to this virus,” he said.

Australia has recorded more than 2000 cases of coronavirus with eight deaths. Globally, there are more than 350,000 infections with more than 15,000 deaths.

It comes after stage one restrictions announced on Sunday banned pubs, clubs, hotels, gyms, cinemas and cafes from opening. Indoor sports and entertainment venues were also closed.

Religious gatherings and places of worship as well as funerals were also ordered to observe restrictions ruling that people remain subject to the 1 person per 4 square metre rule.

Here is the full list of banned activities:

• Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons and tattoo parlours

• Amusement parks and arcades

• Indoor and outdoor play centres

• Hairdressers will be subject to distancing rules with 30 minute max appointments

• Community and recreation centres, health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre, spin facilities, saunas, wellness centres, boot camps

• Libraries

• Brothels, massage parlours and sex on premises services

• Personal training is limited to a maximum of 10 people

• Social, sporting-based activities, swimming pools

• Birthday parties and house parties

• International travel

• Weddings are limited to five people and funerals can go ahead with no more than 10 people with social distancing observed.

• Galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, libraries, community centres, non-essential facilities, community facilities such as halls and PCYCs

• Food courts in shopping centres will close but takeaway can continue

• Auction houses and open inspections

• Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses will be a decision for each state and territory

• Outdoor and indoor markets will be addressed specifically in individual states and territories

• Cafes limited to takeaway, as announced on Sunday

• Cinemas, nightclubs, casinos, gambling venues, adult entertainment venues, concert venues, stadiums as previously announced.