Like it or not, it's a reality we should have been preparing for.

The massive task of delivering a vaccine - once it's finally approved, and then implanting an effective program to millions of Australians, will take time - and lots of it.

Social distancing and some of the simple measures we are now well used to, such as the wearing of face masks, the constant washing of hands and a raft of rules about how many people are allowed to gather together and where such events can take place, will likely be with us for a long while yet.

Other countries across the globe have already implemented their own rules about what life in a post-lockdown world might look like.

READ MORE:

As we start considering how our society might cope when restrictions next ease, health authorities will need to consider how we transition more industries, not to a post-COVID environment, but to one where we recognise the virus still exists, but which also allows for more Australians to get back to something much closer to what they used to do, albeit in a different way.

Co-existence will need to be a part of future strategies, and that means face masks will be part of our attire when outside our homes for a long while yet.

READ MORE:

The reality is, we need to have some rules in place in order to help prevent another descent into lockdown that no one wants.

The risk we run in easing out of restrictions too quickly is that we expose ourselves to the virus and its dreaded impacts more readily.

If we are to do whatever we can to avoid this occurring, then we cannot avoid some the things we might detest, but must tolerate.

It's still a lot better than what we have right now.