For more than half a year, Ballarat has suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Events cancelled, businesses bruised and jobs lost.
While all of these things combined would be enough to cripple a community, perhaps the worst impact came inside every home within the region, as the people lost the ability to connect.
No longer could people simply go over to a friend's house to watch the footy or enjoy a meal. No longer could a brother go see his sister for their birthday celebrations.
It has taken its toll.
Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton called the removal of the community's ability to connect with each other the "silent destroyer".
"I think in many ways the silent destroyer of COVID-19 is the sense of connection that had disappeared for some people," he lamented.
"It's this sense of connection that allows people to be the best version of themselves, and that's really difficult to do without that connection.
"I know there's an economic cost to the pandemic, but the measure that is perhaps most significant is the loss of connectedness within the community."
From an academic point of view, La Trobe University psychology lecturer Dr Matthew Ruby said there have been countless studies as to why humans rely so heavily on social interactions.
"We know from quite a bit of research over the years that humans are intensely social creatures," he said.
"While we differ in how extroverted we are, and some people cope better than others with being on their own, our relationships with each other are incredibly important. When people don't have access to strong, supportive relationships, that can really wear on their mental health, even outside of a pandemic.
"To some extent, people can maintain that... but phone calls and video chats only do so much. The entire physical aspect of our social interaction is gone for a lot of people."
As this social connectedness wears away, the community's ability to cope under immense outside pressure, like a global pandemic, wanes away with it.
It is because of this Dr Ruby is not surprised a sense of 'lockdown fatigue' has set in, resulting in people moving outside of the COVID-restrictions in place to keep the community safe.
"Looking at how long we've been under these restrictions - roughly seven months - it may have been easier to follow some of the restrictions early on, however it's not surprising that over time people have become worn down," Dr Ruby continued.
For partners that can't see each other, families that can't get together, grandparents who can't hug their grandchildren, it's very hard.
- La Trobe University psychology lecturer Dr Matthew Ruby
"Over half a year, following all the necessary restrictions becomes more trying, especially for those of us who have not been able to see our friends and loved ones face-to-face like we're used to."
Dr Ruby's sentiment echoed that of Deakin University's Chair in Epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett, who added the sense that regional Victoria is nearly free of COVID-19 is making it harder for people to continue following restrictions.
"Fatigue is always going to be an issue," she said.
"Realistically it's always going to be hard to manage people's engagement if the true risk seems to be dropping away. That's where we're at. While that's a good thing, it's a really tough thing to manage.
"It can be difficult to continue putting in that extra effort when things seem so close to ending."
For many within Ballarat, the ability to connect with family and friends again in a face-to-face capacity is what's driving them to continue doing the right thing.
However, those with family in metropolitan Melbourne, interstate or overseas, the wait for change continues to be arduous.
Ballarat resident Patrick Quigley has lived in Australia since 2001, having moved from the United Kingdom.
The desperate pursuit of connectedness with family for Mr Quigley is still potentially years away, as many of his loved ones live in England.
Looking into what this period has been like, frustrating was the main feeling that came up, especially as he thought about his mother, who is isolated on the other side of the globe.
"It's been really frustrating," he said.
"Especially as my mother, who is now in her late 70s, is locked down, it's very frustrating. The trip my family was planning to go see her in September obviously had to be cancelled... If the situation continues, our family is looking at the real possibility that we may never see her again.
"That's not a conversation you ever want to have with your children.There's no point thinking about it too much because there's nothing I can do about it."
For those within the community who will be able to connect with our families and friends should restrictions be eased, all eyes will be on Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' press conference on Sunday morning.
Mr Poulton is hoping Sunday will bring the changes to allow regional Victorian's to be able to connect again, whether it be in the home or within the community.
"In terms of what we'd like to see the Victorian Government do in terms of moving towards the final step or a COVID-normal, it's not about opening up and letting the virus lift, it's about being very measured and controlled so we can keep moving forward," he elaborated.
"Something as simple as allowing sports clubs to resume activities. We want people to be able to take part in community recreation and activities to help better connect with each other. I think that would really start to ease some of the pain that people are feeling."
Ballarat has been without an active infection since September 9.
There are just seven active cases in regional Victoria - four in Mitchell Shire and three in Shepparton.
About 40 per cent of the approximate 5000 COVID-19 tests taken over the past two days in Shepparton have returned a negative result, showing hope on the eve of an easing of restrictions announcement.
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