It's almost two weeks now since the Australian response to the coronavirus that has engulfed the world was dramatically ramped up, and in many ways it seems so much longer.

It's hard to work out what to call the day to day existence we are all part of at the moment.

It's not quite a brave new world, but it is one that's very unsure of itself.

None of us ever know for sure what lays ahead, and that's been magnified in the past fortnight as the reality of the COVID-19 outbreak swept all before it and us.

Now, most people who used to work in an office have relocated to working from home.

Sadly, many more retail, hospitality and services sector employees have been stood down as their employers bear the brunt of the economic fallout.

The scenes of long queues forming outside Centrelink offices each day this week have been absolutely devastating, and extremely disappointing to witness.

In a first world country that prides itself on looking after its own, we have failed ourselves miserably.

Those queues should not be there.

Dealing with the coronavirus and all its nuances means we must be able to make decisions and enact policy far more quickly that we are at present.

The federal government has been sluggish, at best, in getting its welfare practices in place to help vulnerable Australians who through no fault of their own, have lost their job.

Angry, sad and no doubt extremely worried, Aussies have queued outside Centrelink because no one told them otherwise, and because confusion reigns supreme.

The appropriate IT infrastructure should have been in place.

The messaging needed to be clearer. We must do better.

The newly jobless are one of the most heartbreaking human faces to the invisible coronavirus itself.

The other heartwarming face has been the health services response.

There are countless thousands of heroes in the fight against coronavirus, and our health sector employees in hospitals, clinics and GP practices stand alongside our emergency services personnel for their selfless contributions to the challenges we face.

Today, flattening the curve has become part of everyday conversation, while bending the curve has become a goal.

Defeating COVID-19 has become our focus.

Chances are, none of us will hear this discussed while we're standing around a barbie any time soon, because social events are off the menu.

Face-to-face conversations are limited to the ones you live with, and the few others you may encounter in any essential matters.

That's tough - but it's also necessary, and we should not lose sight of the reasons behind these measures.

As difficult, and different as this has been, it's still nothing compared to what many other workplaces have already faced.

But hearing stories of neighbours reaching out to one another - figuratively, to check in on one another and make sure things are okay, is inspiring.

We need more of this.

Like many Australians, I'm over the stories of toilet paper tussles and the associated panic buying of just about everything.

I want to know everyone is being looked after by someone.

Here at the Addy, we're actually not at the Addy.

The newsroom now includes about 20 home office sites across the city, since Australian Community Media requested we work from home.

Daily hangouts and chats on Google have become the norm.

Our newsrooms in Horsham, Ararat and Stawell are doing the same.

We have all had to face up to the fact that we will not be together as a team until the coronavirus threat is either extinguished, or at least severely diminished.

We also acknowledge the role our newsrooms have to play, and the associated responsibility we share in keeping the community informed as we go forward.

None of us, anywhere, know how long that might be.

Over in Horsham, we've taken to posting photos of the sunrise or sunset in our own chat group.

It's a great reminder to us all that despite what's going on around us, the world still offers us so much to appreciate and enjoy.

We shouldn't ever miss the chance to stop, step outside, even just for a minute or five, to appreciate some of the things we could so easily overlook or take for granted.

As my mate Dave says, it's also "times like these, you give and give again".