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An aged care service provider has moved to bar all visitors from its homes to prevent the spread of coronavirus. It's a step up from new measures introduced by the federal government, which would limit visits to aged care facilities to short, two-person visits once a day. Anyone who has been overseas in the past two weeks, been in contact with someone who has coronavirus or respiratory infection symptoms will be barred completely. The changes are part of a range of measures announced by the prime minister and chief medical officer on Wednesday. These include warning Australians against all overseas travel and banning non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. An email from Estia chief executive Ian Thornley to family and friends of residents said its facilities would close to visitors from 5pm on Wednesday. "We understand that this decision will have significant impact on our residents and their close contacts and sincerely apologise for this," he said in the email seen by AAP. Visitors would still be allowed in "exceptional circumstances on compassionate grounds" with volunteers also to be barred from Estia homes and non-essential resident outings banned. Estia is a commercial aged care provider running nearly 70 residences in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said visits to dying relatives would have to be arranged with individual aged care facilities. "We all know how distressing that can be and so the aged care facilities will be asked to put in place sensible arrangements," he said. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation says the government should ban all non-essential visits to aged care homes. Three aged care residents have already died from the virus. "This government is completely out of touch with the reality that currently exists in nursing homes," acting federal secretary Lori-Anne Sharp said. Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said children should not be visiting aged care homes at all to limit the spread of the virus. "We know older Australians love to see children in their lives, but the fact is, children are not reliable when it comes to practising the good hygiene necessary to stop the spread," Senator Colbeck said. The advice around aged care homes will continue to be monitored. Large groups including from schools are also banned from aged care homes, along with social events. Visitors will be restricted to the residents' rooms or outdoor spaces, with no meetings to be held in communal areas. People who had not been vaccinated for the flu before May 1 will also be banned. Mr Morrison stressed visitors should practice good hygiene and social distancing measures. Leading Age Services Australia chief executive Sean Rooney says more measures are inevitable. "We need to get the balance right between compassion and care, and caution and protection," he told AAP. The government has lifted a 40-hour weekly work limit for international students in the aged sector, in a bid to help fill temporary staff shortages. Aged care providers have been told to register with the Department of Home Affairs if the changes would help them. Australian Associated Press

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