The virus continues its silent progression through the community, with experts predicting a significant rise in the number of reported cases in the coming weeks.

Major sporting, community and entertainment events are now at risk of being postponed or cancelled, but good health must always be our main concern.

Through this, most of us are rightly wondering, even if we aren't directly caught up in the pandemic, what is going to happen to our superannuation?

While the stimulus package announced by the Prime Minister and the Treasurer earlier this week has not yet stemmed the rising tide of panic on the ASX, it is to be hoped, when business leaders have a chance to review it more thoroughly, they will find some cause for optimism.

The sheer scale of the response shows just how seriously the Coalition is treating this crisis and how far they are willing to go to keep businesses trading and workers employed.

While the news that support is being made available to casual workers affected by the virus is welcome, the mechanism being used to deliver it appears to be clunky at best.

This may need to be reviewed and tweaked if we are to avoid the risk of infected individuals turning up for work.

The one-off payments of $750 to people receiving social security benefits, including the family tax benefit, will play the same role as the $900 Rudd payments and get money into the economy very quickly.

The slightly more targeted approach, which means our most affluent individuals will miss out, is commendable.

While the measures announced today may not, in themselves, be sufficient to keep the nation out of recession in the months ahead, there is every reason to hope they will soften the impact of the many shocks that are still to come.