The territory's chief health officer has warned it's just a matter of time before a coronavirus case is uncovered in the ACT.
But she says there is no need to panic buy with the territory and Australia having adequate supplies of all essentials.
ACT Chief health officer Kerryn Coleman said Canberra was very prepared for its first case of coronavirus.
"I am fully expecting the ACT will receive its first case sometime in the next four weeks," she said.
"We already see increasing cases in NSW, in Queensland, Victoria and potentially WA.
"We need to be prepared and to start expecting there may be some spread within communities."
Dr Coleman said significant community spread was not likely to happen for at least four to six weeks.
"We have plenty of time to continue to get our plans and preparations in place," Dr Coleman said.
"There's no need to be doing anything different at the moment apart from those normal procedures (like washing your hands) to protect yourself."
She said there was no need to panic buy, saying there was no national shortage of toilet paper.
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"I can totally understand that people are concerned," Dr Coleman said.
"There are differences in how this will be seen in Australia and I would strongly encourage people to not panic buy and hoard.
"We have enough of everything in Australia and they will be fine.
"Just go about your normal lives, we won't run out of toilet paper."
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith acknowledged people would be anxious about the situation.
"There is no cause for alarm in our community," she said.
"Our health services are in very good position to respond to covid-19."
The ACT has so far tested 152 patients for the virus, with all returning a negative result.
