When news broke of Tasmania's first confirmed coronavirus case on Monday, it did not come as a surprise. Rather, it was somewhat of an inevitability considering the growing scale of COVID-19 around the world. Still, that didn't mean the news wasn't significant.

But as concerns around the growing threat of coronavirus in Tasmania and Australia grew over the coming days, one thing became very clear. That panic and misinformation was widespread and many people were not listening to the advise of those best qualified to give it.

Health authorities recommended people practice good hygiene and wash their hands. This should be a given. Alongside this was the message that people "could" prepare with two weeks' worth of food supplies, water and medications - if deemed necessary. However, many people took this as a cue to make sure they had enough toilet paper and hand sanitiser to see them through the rest of the year.

While the move prompted many jokes across the internet, more seriously face masks had been simultaneously stripped from the shelves of supermarkets and chemists. This despite official advise that unless you are unwell, wearing a face mask is unnecessary.

Now, the overuse of masks by the general public could mean supplies are not there when they are genuinely needed. There is nothing funny about this.

Undeniably we should all be paying close attention to this ongoing development. Just as the state government should be doing everything in its power to ensure Tasmania is prepared for any further escalations.

But most importantly we must also ensure we keep perspective, keep a level head and listen to the experts. As infectious disease specialist Katie Flanagan put it on Friday: "We are not panicking about this, we're just making sure we are prepared." Let's heed her advice.