Sean Duffy is calling for increased community awareness about the rising mental health impacts the coronavirus pandemic is creating across the region.

Part of this was a concern panic-buying and stockpiling would put even more pressure on community welfare frontlines, particularly for the elderly, homeless and single parents already at-risk as winter began to close in.

Mr Duffy said as more services and community groups were suspended, the greater the need for people to look out for each other.

"We need community awareness to check on people who are vulnerable, those people who normally turn up to events," Mr Duffy said.

"For some people the only meaningful social interactions they have is through senior citizens clubs, sporting clubs and other community groups. The fact is once these close one of the other outlets people might find is supermarkets and I can understand how this might increase anxiety at the moment...Those who are already feel isolated will be even further isolated. I think people already have heightened anxiety."

Ballarat Community Health is following health department directives and working closely to support other healthcare providers in the city, including Ballarat Health Services.

Mr Duffy said while many programs and group meetings have been suspended, staff would be in contact with clients as best they could via phone or virtual platforms.

He urged people to access the right, up-to-date information, particularly while information was constantly changing.

Mr Duffy said eating well, exercising and accessing immunisations (when available) were important to promote physical and mental health.

Compassionate Ballarat's Lynne Reeder reinforced Mr Duffy's message, saying it was important as a community to acknowledge the anxiety the unknown brings. Dr Reeder said a good reminder to think how you could help others and check in on others.

"Coronavirus will provide us all with an unknown and extensive disruption to our lives...It is not unexpected that we will feel unsure and a bit off-centre - but is also important that we all support ourselves and those around us - even if that support needs to be virtual," Dr Reeder said.

"Research has shown that when we take the focus off ourselves and put it onto others that we really do feel better."

Dr Reeder said a compassionate response required a sense of calmness and acceptance. Dr Reeder said this would help energise people to re-establish our community when the time was right.

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