Amid the outbreak and spread of the China Coronavirus, it’s important for our Australia’s leaders, and its people of authority, to protect those of whom they have a responsibility to protect.

Many airlines worldwide have rolled back, or stopped, flights to mainland China in an attempt to reduce the chances of the virus spreading to an uncontrollable state. These airlines include, but not limited to; British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and American Airlines.

Australias major airline, Qantas, has instead released a statement proclaiming that they will ‘monitor the situation’ instead of following these other major airlines. Qantas has also stated that it has offered passengers the option to cancel or rebook their flights, but the planes themselves will continue to fly the skies.

Rain MacIntyre, a Professor of Global Biosecurity at UNSW predicts that a flight carrying 200 people, with one person infected with the China Coronavirus, could result in between two and three more people contracting the virus. “We do not want an epidemic taking off here,” Professor MacIntyre told The New Daily.

Australians have the right to not just feel safe, but actually BE safe, and Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas, has the power to do this. It’s also important to understand that there is a lot about this virus that is to be understood, many people state it is not as dangerous as some believe. However, the World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak a global emergency, with, at the time of writing this petition, 213 people deceased, and almost 10,000 people known to be infected.

The Americans have stated that no one should travel to China, and have also confirmed their first case of person to person transmission.

Australians, and Australia, need to be kept safe. Tell Alan Joyce to “SHUT IT DOWN”.