As of Saturday it had been one week since Tasmania reported any new cases of COVID-19.
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The seven-day streak equalled the state's longest without a recorded case, with only one new case identified in the past two weeks.
It comes as Tasmania, like the rest of Australia, continues its transition to some sense of normality.
Coronavirus: All the latest updates on COVID-19 for Tasmania
That feeling was well received at Harvest Launceston on Saturday - an event that for many forms part of a weekly ritual that symbolises far more than just an expedition to buy groceries. It is traditionally an experience of connectivity and community.
Yes, strict social distancing measures remained in place as the market re-opened for the first time in nine weeks. But there was also an undeniable sense of optimism from both stallholders and customers.
Still, despite a glimpse of light at the end of a very long tunnel, the widespread ramifications of COVID-19 remain deeply etched in our psyche. This is not going to disappear overnight - and it shouldn't. Because intermittent cases of coronavirus are still expected.
On Saturday the state government announced further expansions to Tasmania's COVID-19 testing response. Now, coronavirus testing will be offered to all Tasmanians, for free. So far more than 24,000 tests have been conducted across the state. But as pointed out by Health Minister Sarah Courtney, testing will remain a crucial defence as the government moves to "cautiously" remove restrictions going forward.
Come Monday we will also see the long awaited return of school for kindergarten to year 6 students, as well as year 11 and 12 students at extension schools and colleges.
The government has long maintained that schools have always been safe place to be. Rather, the reason why students were encouraged to learn from home was in an effort to further limit movement across the community.
So as we take what will undoubtedly be another big step towards some form of pre-COVID normality, we must continue to tread cautiously.
After all, we remain in just as uncharted territory as we were going into this pandemic, and throughout it. There is no point taking one step forward, if we will then have to take three steps back again.
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