Central Victorians have been belted in the past month as the pandemic cuts deep into our business, education, recreation and social sectors, forcing many into unemployment.

The Easter long weekend is normally Bendigo's busiest, but this year it will undoubtedly be our quietest.

No Bendigo Easter Festival, no parade, no torchlight procession, no carnival rides, no public celebrations.

And hopefully, no visitors.

Churches that have long been used to one of their busiest periods of the year are almost empty this weekend.

But services are available online.

These forced changes will have a harsher impact this weekend than they will on arguably any other.

But we must remain buoyant and hopeful.

And we must remember those around us, and what matters most.

There's a lot to be hopeful about - we continue to report slowing rates of new coronavirus infections.

The hard work that is social distancing and self-isolation looks to be working.

So far.

This has meant our health system appears to be coping and the incredibly sad and distressing scenes unfolding in other parts of the world, have so far passed us by.

That's why it's important we keep on staying home and not doing anything that's not essential.

It's less than four weeks since the response to COVID-19 was so dramatically ramped up, and there's a long way to go.

So far, we have proved we can win the fight, but it's not going to be a quick or easy one.

More than ever, this weekend we urge everyone to reach out to family, friends, neighbours and those we cannot be with to share the Easter celebrations, and make sure they are doing okay.

Not just because we can, but because we should.