The election campaign against Donald Trump, the coronavirus pandemic and the violence that came in response to the Black Lives Matter movement had left our North American allies deeply divided.

It was a divide that affected Australians' response to our own battle with the pandemic.

Protests and ugly confrontations with police have been seen regularly in Melbourne in recent months as people demanded the traditional American idea of "freedom".

The anger was also felt by people on the Border, who were often justified in wishing restrictions could be eased ahead of where the problem was in Melbourne.

A close American election means there will be work to do to heal the divide in that country, but the positive words of unity from Mr Biden are a good start.

Let's hope that positive outlook will also influence Australia, and Victoria in particular, where there is so much to be positive about.

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The state yesterday reached its eighth-straight doughnut day with no new coronavirus cases, and here on the Border, we are well past 100 days.

While it is expected low numbers of cases will continue, the hope is that the second wave has been beaten and the fear and anger can now subside.

Having control of the pandemic is a big way of how we are very different to the United States, where daily numbers of more than 100,000 are higher than they have ever been.

Americans need to continue wearing masks for their own health and protection.

In regional Victoria especially, we do not have that same need.

Premier Daniel Andrews has said throughout this pandemic that we have faced a health crisis, which led to an economic crisis.

Here on the Border, we have seen off the health crisis, but we still need to heal economically.

The call for new "border bubble" for masks is a good one to ensure Wodonga does not lose shoppers to Albury because if people can be more comfortable across the border they will, making Wodonga's healing process slower.