Against the background of finding the right balance between handling the medical emergency and confronting the economic impact, nothing is becoming more obvious than the advisability of maintaining the course.

The importance of taking heed of the medical advice has reverberated in just about every conversation initiated by our leaders.

If that is indeed critical then once it is accepted, reviewed, renewed or amended then it becomes imperative that both our leadership and the rest of us stand by it.

But as each day passes the nerve of those concerned about our economic future constantly challenges that.

Right now a significant portion of the Australian population is in a holding pattern.

With government subsidies available to many, we have got used to making do.

Whilst the cash cannot continue to flow forever - neither can the resolve to be content with the adjusted lifestyles.

With restricted opportunities to spend on holidays, entertainment, arts, sporting or recreational pursuits, family and personal budgets have been trimmed to fit the moment.

But as the Australian dynamic changes - at least beyond the boundaries of Victoria - reality will set in for all of those managing to keep their heads above water.

For each - how long will this new paradigm be acceptable?

Already by contrast there are plenty of Australians who have been left behind.

For them, it is not a matter of holding the line. Every day they must contemplate not only the long-term future but the next 24 hours as well.

It may well be that as a nation we learn to live with the formalities of not shaking hands nor embracing those beyond immediate family but also that which involves a financial outlay.

Whilst it is not something that affects the yearly planning of every Australian, the well-placed suggestions that international travel as we have come to know and access may not resume until the middle of 2021 is a rude awakening.

The implications of that not just for business and holiday travellers in and out of the country can be massive.

Whilst some will have pondered for example whether the US and French tennis grand slams will happen in the coming months, the assumption will have been the Australian Open would proceed regardless next January - in the worst scenario just without crowds.

Without a resumption of international travel and without a commensurate lifting in quarantine restrictions for those able to secure an inbound seat the viability of a meaningful Open must be in question.

Repeat that analysis over and over again for every reason why those from overseas might wish to come here in numbers - for conferences, arts festivals and shows, other sporting events and so on.

All the more important for Australia to find some domestic solutions to the health/economic conundrum.

But that is made all the more difficult by hiccups such as the sudden - albeit small compared to other countries - rise in cases in Victoria.

Even then we should not be overly reactive.

The numbers are indeed small and across the board, the severity of cases seem to be at the lower end of the scale.

Perhaps most importantly there is the possibility that the higher incidence of what are largely mild and maybe asymptomatic positives is directly related to the ramp up in testing numbers and how it is being targeted.

But it is nonetheless a wake-up call and again emphasises the importance of holding the line - whilst taking baby steps in re-opening society and the economy.

The resolve of state leaders like Mark McGowan in Western Australia and Peter Gutwein in Tasmania and the support given by their colleagues and political opponents alike has been popular - if opinion polls are any indication - with their constituent populations.

The hardline on border closures is almost certainly unconstitutional but no-one has found the need to challenge it.

And it does only take one as the eligibility of dual-nationality politicians' case demonstrated.

The selective opening up to those from some states but not all - maybe even more so. As each day goes by we are perhaps not far away from someone taking up the cudgel.

The end of JobKeeper, a reduction in JobSeeker and the expiration of funds provided to businesses by temporary government programs will provide the first big test of just how long Australia can hold its nerve.

It's something that on reflection the AFL should have done.

Its most publicly touted initial solution to keeping its elite game on the park was to have three six-team hubs in centres outside Victoria.

It was cheer-led out of that idea by prominent media voices and whinged out of it by the players and their representatives.

Right now it looks like it was a very good idea.