The COVID-19 pandemic, but more significantly the efforts to keep the disease at bay, has upended so many of our lives.

Hundreds of people have died in Melbourne and thousands have been infected, thanks to the Victorian government's failure to conduct an effective hotel quarantine program for people returning from overseas.

This monumental blunder has served only to make the pandemic even harder to handle on a range of levels, including regarding people's mental health.

Even without having to encounter the harsh lock-downs of Melbourne, the uncertainty and disruption created by this crisis has been all-pervading.

On Friday came the extremely welcome news that Victorian had recorded just two new cases of COVID-19, with no deaths. Even with the drama that has enveloped Shepparton this week, this has provided a glimmer of hope.

But equally, we all know that even with a golden run of few or no cases in coming months, the lack so far of an effective, widely available vaccine means COVID-19's terrible bite could return at any time with a vengeance.

It means none of us can afford to pay scant regard for our mental well being or that of the people in our daily circle, something addressed in a special online project launched by the Survivors of Suicide & Friends group.

The series, released to mark Mental Health Week 2020, features videos created by Albury documentary-maker Helen Newman. These include personal messages and commentary from mental health experts, advocates and young people.

It features Border psychologist Brownyn Wood, with the critical message that "it's OK not to be OK".

The challenge in protecting ourselves from being struck down by COVID-19 will continue to be shadowed by the necessity to look after our mental health.

The path we are on, for now, remains infinite, which makes the Survivors of Suicide & Friends series even more important for our community to embrace.