It's the latest in a series of initiatives from this newspaper aimed at supporting the business community as operators take the next cautious steps in their recovery from the effects of the pandemic.

We seem to have managed the health impacts as well as almost any nation has, and the dire predictions from just a few months ago have so far failed to eventuate - a circumstance we should all be incredibly grateful for and proud of.

But the economic recovery will take time, patience and a good deal of resilience.

Many business owners are now juggling how to either start up again, or maybe how to ramp up what they have been able to do as restrictions are eased.

The challenge we all face is that even though restrictions are slowly being lifted in accordance with the risk that lingers, the economic campaign to restore business to anywhere near what it was will take far longer.

As traders emerge from all this, the national cabinet must balance the need to provide ongoing financial support that helps keeps businesses viable, protects jobs and allows the economy time to recover, against the stark reality that this support is a finite and very expensive resource which ultimately we must all pay for.

The truth is we will all need support and understanding - from all three levels of government, from the banking sector and from one another as we plot a course towards better times.

Buying local and supporting local businesses has never been more important, and all of us have an opportunity, and a role to play.

We made it this far by working together and looking after one another, by doing what we were asked around reducing risk and being far more diligent about our health and hygiene.

But the job is not yet done.