Moment that brought Ally Langdon hope amid coronavirus outbreak

What a strange weekend we've just experienced. It was weird to see children in the playground again, people sitting at cafes and enjoying a meal. There was a real sense of cautious optimism.

We can pat ourselves on the back for doing the right thing to get on top of this virus but it has come – as we all know too well - at a huge cost.

We've seen businesses brought to their knees, and watched as the jobs dried up. Family, friends and loved ones left out of work, often for the first time in their lives.

To see friends who have poured their life - and life savings - into their small business on the brink of collapse has been beyond heartbreaking. The economic impact of this virus has been brutal, indiscriminate and long-lasting, however I felt a little hope this weekend.

My husband and I had planned on keeping the kids away from any playgrounds for a few more weeks just to be cautious, but that went out the window when my three-year-old spotted other kids on the swing.

We wiped down the seat and handles, and I can't tell you the joy it brought us to see him laughing as he demanded to be pushed higher and higher.

Restaurants and other local haunts reopened their doors this weekend, too. Not all of them have - and sadly not all of them will - however I have mates who worked their first shift in six weeks. Baristas, retail workers back on the job.

From what we witnessed, the majority of people did the right thing and they observed social distancing, standing on the markers as they waited for their morning coffee or lunch.

We're all mindful that while we have flattened the curve, this virus is lurking and outbreaks can, and likely, will occur. My local café was asking anyone not on the COVIDSafe app to leave their name and number.

If there is a cluster we need to contact trace quickly and stamp it out, it's the only way we can ensure we don't end up back in lockdown. If we want to avoid a second wave like they've experienced in Japan and Singapore then the app is one of our greatest weapons.

But the mental health concerns of staff returning to work are real, and for some it requires a complex balance between returning to work and the fear of mingling in the community. Those fears are all too real for our frontline workers and we need to reach out to those who may be struggling.

Besides doctors and nurses, hospitality staff are the most visible of workers, so while we need to support our local cafes and restaurants we need to ensure the safest working environment possible.

As many businesses plan a return of their workers it becomes clear there is no "one size fits all" approach.

Employee safety is paramount but we've had time to observe this virus now and we have tools that will help protect us. Here's hoping it's onwards and upwards.