# Capture — 1.5 metres

- **Claim filed:** “To stop the spread, stay 1.5m from others.”
- **Who:** Australian Government text, endorsed by Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy
- **URL:** https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/australian-government-text-message-regarding-coronavirus-prevention-steps
- **Date on page:** 25 March 2020
- **Publisher:** Department of Health (Greg Hunt media)
- **Title:** Australian Government text message regarding Coronavirus prevention steps
- **Captured:** 2026-08-14
- **Method:** saved HTML (`hunt-sms.html`)

## Verbatim

The 150-character SMS, endorsed by Professor Brendan Murphy:

> Coronavirus Aus Gov msg: To stop the spread, stay 1.5m from others, follow rules on social gatherings, wash hands, stay home if sick.

Hunt’s longer list, same release:

> Be at least 1.5 metres away from everyone and don’t gather with others

## What the number was doing

1.5 m is a **droplet** rule: large drops fall. Aerosols do not respect a tape measure indoors. The SMS says “stop the spread,” not “reduce close-range spray.”

## What this file does not do

It does not file “distance did nothing.” Crowding is a risk. It files the slide from a droplet heuristic to a hard line that would **stop** the spread.