While the risk associated with continuing to press on with so many festivals, parades and celebrations might not have been so great, the reality is none of us actually know this for certain.

Anything that can be done to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus has to be implemented, and the dramatic uplift in event cancellations across the nation has been accompanied by a raft of measures designed to better protect the community.

The unfortunate outcome of some of these policies will be felt in the cash register of local businesses as the virus continues to impact the economy, but health concerns must come first.

The federal government must surely be sharpening the pencil for a new round of stimulus initiatives to further help businesses that have nowhere to turn as bookings dry up and incomes decline.

And local sporting competitions will be watching closely, waiting for guidance about what to do as summer sports come to a conclusion and winter sports look to begin.

The duty of care to participants, coaches, officials and spectators will be the prime concerns for those faced with making the difficult decision about what comes next.

In the meantime, the loss of major festivals that represent such a broad cross section of the community such as the Easter Festival, the Dahlia and Arts, Zinda, the Relay for Life, the Melanoma March and many others needs to be properly acknowledged.

Many of these double for major fundraisers, a means of engagement or increasing awareness of important issues and health messages.

Sadly, there will likely be others that face the unenviable, and inevitable task of needing to put aside their plans for this year.

We wish all these organisations, and their hard working staff and volunteers the very best in working their way through the mire, and look forward to supporting their future endeavours as best we can.