REVEALED: The coronavirus restrictions first in line to be relaxed on May 11 - and the reason Australia ignored the WHO to shut the borders

• Team sport and shopping with friends could be allowed from May 11 
• 'Relaxation of the size of small groups is possible,' Professor Murphy said
• But concerts and international travel will not be allowed for a long time 
• Australia began border shut down due to numbers coming in from China

Going shopping with friends and team sport could be allowed again when the National Cabinet reviews coronavirus restrictions on May 11.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy today revealed those activities are 'in the mix' to be permitted once more.

He suggested the national guidance that prevents gatherings of more than two people in public could be relaxed to allow friends and families to come together.

But Professor Murphy said larger gatherings such concerts and festivals - as well as international travel - were out of the question.  

Community sport could be allowed once more from May 11. Pictured: Beach volleyball at Bondi Beach

Seeing friends, shopping and team sport could be allowed again when the National Cabinet reviews coronavirus restrictions on May 11. Pictured: A lone shopper in Melbourne

'We certainly would not be contemplating large-scale gatherings. But certainly some relaxation of the size of small groups is possible,' he told the senate select committee scrutinising the government's virus response. 

'There are a range of measures that [the National Cabinet has] asked us to consider - things like community sport, some retail measures.

'All of those things will be in the mix. But we'll have to weigh up the public health risk versus the benefit to society and the economy.' 

Professor Murphy also revealed that the most effective measure taken to stop the virus infecting Australians was shutting the borders.

On February 1, when there were 14,000 recorded cases in the world, Australia banned flights from China - despite the World Health Organisation advising against the move.  

Professor Murphy said larger gatherings such concerts and festivals - as well as international travel - were out of the question. Pictured: Sydney's Laneway Festival on 2 February

Professor Murphy also revealed that the most effective measure taken to stop the virus infecting Australians was shutting the borders. Pictured: Sydney's Terminal 2 last year

Australia was aware of the threat that international arrivals posed and moved to ban travel. Pictured: Crew from the Ruby Princess cruise ship arrive at Sydney International Airport before flying home to the Philippines

Asked why Australia banned travel before other nations, he said: 'Because we had a huge amount of traffic from China with 160 flights plus a week. 

'China was clearly the epicenter and the virus was spreading rapidly around China.

'We knew the greatest risk was imported cases and as an island we were in a position of perhaps doing border measures more effectively than other countries.'

Professor Murphy said he told the Prime Minister to ban flights from China on a Saturday morning and the measures were announced that night. 

On March 20 the borders were shut to all foreigners, effectively sealing Australia off from the rest of the world. 

'I think in retrospect our colleagues in the UK and US regret that they didn't do the same,' Professor Murphy said. 

Two thirds of Australia's cases were Aussies returning home  - so overseas travel was also banned. 

The measures worked remarkably well. Australia's infection rate has grown at less than one per cent for the past 11 days. 

Professor Murphy said it was highly unlikely that international travel restrictions will be relaxed soon. 

'The international situation at the moment is such that any relaxation of border measures would be very risky,' he said.   

Professor Murphy said he told the Prime Minister to ban flights from China on a Saturday morning and the measures were announced that night. Pictured: Wuhan residents on April 8

On March 20 the borders were shut to all foreigners, effectively sealing Australia off from the rest of the world. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping wears a mask in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shannxi Province, on April 20

International arrivals have been banned since 20 March. Pictured: Grounded Qantas planes at Sydney Airport

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth also addressed which restrictions would be relaxed in a press conference on Thursday. 

He said the plan is to slowly increase the number of people allowed to gather, meaning fully attended weddings and concerts are still a long way off.

'We have seen what happens when large numbers of adults gather together. There have been a number of major clusters related to weddings.

'So the way to take things slowly is to increase numbers slowly. You can infer from that that larger gatherings are a long way off, and that would include having crowds at sporting matches.'

Dr Coatsworth said community sport was being considered and that officials would provide advice on how to keep it safe. 

'We would absolutely need to provide more detail on the guidance,' he said. 

Scott Morrison criticises the WHO - but says he will not walk away

At the end of his press conference on 16 April, Scott Morrison said the World Health Organisation has had 'few poor outings lately' - but defended the good work it does in the Pacific Region.

The WHO has come under fire from several member states, most notably US President Donald Trump, for being slow to call coronavirus a pandemic and advising against border shut downs.

Mr Morrison has also criticised the WHO for not banning wet markets in China. 

He said: 'I know they have had their criticism and it has been quite deserved and we have been frustrated.'

But Mr Morrison said he would not walk away from funding the WHO - after President Trump said he was halting payments to the organisation. 

'They do important work here in the Pacific and we will keep working with them,' the Prime Minister said.

He said the WHO had helped with PNG's polio outbreak in 2018, Fiji's measles outbreak in 2019 and had been working in Western Pacific on eliminating measles tetanus. 

Mr Morrison said funding Australia's gives to international organisations is always being considered.