Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australian schools should remain open for the time being, despite growing calls for them to shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just announced the latest decisions in Australia’s coronavirus strategy to help slow the spread of the deadly disease.

As well as ordering schools to stay open despite mounting pressure to close them, he also implemented a 14-day self-isolation for every person entering Australia and banned handshakes across the country.

“People are naturally anxious about the issues of schools,” he said, encouraging a policy of “social distancing” amongst children where they stay 1.5 metres apart from each other at school.

He also said the mass closure of schools could make the “coronavirus situation worse, not better”.

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Understandably, Australians have a lot to say about the outcome of the special national cabinet meeting held earlier today, with the hashtag #LockUsDown quickly gaining momentum on Twitter.

Worried parents took to the social media to message the PM directly about their concerns, begging him to shut the schools.

One mum asked Mr Morrison to “get better advice” after explaining she wants her kids home to protect them from getting sick as others asked if he was “joking”.

Hey @ScottMorrisonMP you think us parents who want our children out of schools would let them roam the shopping centres, movie theatres and streets? NO, we want them home with US so our families don't get sick. Get better advice. — 😷 Cathy Crawley (@cathy_crawley) March 15, 2020

And what are those reasons, @ScottMorrisonMP? Because plenty of real experts eg @mja_editor disagree with you. https://t.co/ZDpHOLdGXK — Carol Duncan (@carolduncan) March 15, 2020

@ScottMorrisonMP Are you serious?!?!? You represent the Australian populace and we are yelling at you to SHUT THE SCHOOLS! HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NEED TO TELL YOU BEFORE YOU FINALLY UNDERSTAND! — Harrison Howse (@HarrisonH69420) March 15, 2020

#lockusdown !!!!!!!!!!!! This is RIDICULOUS!!!!!! Close schools! Close universities!!!!!!! — Kitty (@femmekittycat) March 15, 2020

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Some pointed out how hard it would be to keep a child 1.5m away from another one, asking the PM for advice on to “how” to put it into practice.

OK Prep students, you can play but you must stay 1.5m away from anyone. 😂😂 https://t.co/2Dyz0tK0g1 — Dan Summerell (@ponderingDan) March 15, 2020

Quick question as someone with 4 kids - including 3 the same age so I kinda have a mini-school in my house - how exactly are kids and teachers going to stay 1.5m apart from each other? I’d like to see that in practice in a preschool @ScottMorrisonMP @DanTehanWannon @AnthDeCeglie — Lanai Scarr (@lanai_scarr) March 15, 2020

gatherings with 500 or more people: banned



my school with 1300 student + teachers: still open



where tf is the logic #lockusdown #coronavirus #australia #coronavirusaus @ScottMorrisonMP — concerned aussie citizen (@timmyshawndavid) March 15, 2020

It wasn’t just the decision to keep schools open and force kids to remain 1.5m apart that had Australians up in arms, with the self-quarantine rule ruffling feathers.

Some pointed out the huge amount of “trust” that goes into relying on people to isolate themselves without any intervention, leading many to ask for Mr Morrison to “close the borders”.

Umm from flights and manifestos info maybe? They will be ordered to self quarantine? More a trust thing I'd say that people will do it,but closing the BORDERS will stop the spread and allow authorities to TRY and contain the virus. We hope. — @Fairdinkumauss1 (@Fairdinkimauss1) March 15, 2020

Of course they were. Close the borders for non residents. Self quarantine for returning residents. Do your job @ScottMorrisonMP @GregHuntMP https://t.co/lSa6ufPEHA — JoshKaplan (@JoshKaplan) March 15, 2020

@ScottMorrisonMP can you just close the borders for a month, let’s try and get in front of this thing — Marc Johnson (@johnson_genius) March 15, 2020

But the government’s decision to declare “no more handshakes” was met with a happier response, with many praising the advice.

“This is a new thing we’ve moved to, something I will be practising, my cabinet members and others are practising,” he said during a live address.

“This is not something that was necessarily a key requirement weeks ago but it’s just another step up now.”

No more handshakes. Heard it direct from @ScottMorrisonMP ... updated from the advise from the CMO on @InsidersABC this morning. #namaste #auspol — Karen (@spotlz) March 15, 2020

Oh gosh, no more handshakes. Now I feel better. Thank you, PM Scott Morrison. #goodgrief #auspol — Sarah Mitchell (@SarahMitchellOz) March 15, 2020

Scott Morrison throws in a prettyyy important piece of advice towards end of press conference: “there’s no more handshakes” #COVID19Aus #auspol — Ellie Grounds (@elliegrounds) March 15, 2020

“Should people be shaking hands right now?”#Insiders host @David_Speers asks Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy for some basic facts for people confused about what’s ok and what’s not for #coronavirus #auspol pic.twitter.com/9z7KIUq92s — Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) March 15, 2020

There are now at least 283 cases of COVID-19 across Australia, and three people have died.

Of those, 134 cases are in New South Wales, 57 in Victoria, 46 in Queensland, 20 in South Australia, 17 in Western Australia, six in Tasmania, one in the Northern Territory, and one in the ACT.

Follow our live, rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here.