The COVID-19 pandemic is barely upon us and yet the disruption has already been enormous.

Business across the Border region have had to shut; from restaurants and cafes to the chain stores and service clubs.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The financial impact will be huge though it will be some time before just how large a swathe has been cut becomes clear.

That is because one of the biggest dilemmas has and continues to be the uncertainty.

It's what the plethora of expert opinion - a subject already touched-on in this column - doesn't know.

MORE OPINION

And that's because there are no true experts as this coronavirus epidemic is an absolute first.

Four months ago it was something none of us knew anything about.

But despite the dreadful impact already - and again, the health ramifications are only just beginning to appear - many are trying to remain as optimistic as possible.

The hospitality sector has been a clear example.

Groups of cafes and restaurants have joined to promote the fact they are still open for business, even if it is just for takeaway meals.

Most recently, restaurateur David Kapay has put aside for now the heartbreak of having to close his beloved Miss Amelie to team-up with Henri's Bakery to produce a range of gourmet pies.

The venture has been a great success, even if this is tempered with what appears to be an impending strict lock-down of communities both in NSW and Victoria.

Once again, looking to the future must be ever-present.

The latest example is the NSW government's stage 2 stimulus package, announced on Friday, that allow for a further deferral of payroll tax instalments.

Specifically, this gives a six-month extension for businesses with annual payrolls of more than $10 million.

Without such intervention, businesses could be greatly compromised in their efforts to start again.