THE line into Centrelink in Bendigo was out the door on Tuesday morning, a resident says.
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Thousands across the country have registered for unemployment benefits in the past two days as people lose their jobs due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Resident Judy Blackburn was at the Bendigo office on Tuesday and said the line extended onto the street.
Ms Blackburn, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy, had tried to access the service online and on the phone last week without any success.
Although she usually stays away from the centres because of her health concerns, Ms Blackburn said she was pleasantly surprised by the appropriate social distancing in the office.
She said there were white crosses marked onto the floor inside the centre to ensure people were separated.
Seating inside the centre was also spaced out beyond the recommended distance, Ms Blackburn said.
"I thought, this is wonderful," she said. "It was a silver lining for me because my immune system is down and I need the right social distancing. I felt really safe."
But Ms Blackburn said she noticed a lot of people who were lining up for the service appeared sad.
She made sure she gave them some advice.
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"I can see a lot of sad faces here today and I know this is trying times," she told them.
"I've recently had a life-saving operation which has made me grateful to be alive.
"If I may suggest taking one moment each day to think of something that you are grateful for because it may help you with what you are experiencing.
"I am grateful that Centrelink is following social distancing recommendations and they are rolling out programs to support us.
"Also, we live in one of the safest places on earth, in a country which apparently provides enough food for 70 million people."
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