From The Editor: Here’s How We’re Covering the Coronavirus Pandemic

March 26, 2020

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re coping OK under current circumstances.

Life is not normal right now, and it won’t be for quite some time. I’m struggling to come to terms with how quickly everything in Australia is changing. The way we operate in our communities, the way we socialise, the way we exercise, the way we work — there’s not one touchpoint of our lives that has gone unaffected. Pubs are basically my second home, and to not know when we’ll next be able to step into one is really hard to comprehend.

My heart breaks for our hospitality, entertainment, service and tourism industries. And I know that’s only the tip of the iceberg. I can’t think of an industry that won’t be impacted.

The full effects of the coronavirus pandemic will be long felt after the virus passes. Businesses will need to rebuild. Lives will need to be rebuilt. Our mental health will need supporting. The way we move through the world will change.

We’ve lost our freedom, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel. This isn’t permanent. We’ll come out of this the other side and we’ll be stronger, more thoughtful and more appreciative.

But until then, we have work to do. We need to do our bit and just stay home. While not possible for some (thank you, nurses, doctors, chemists, teachers, supermarket workers and other essential services for all that you do), it is for many. Think of the party we’ll have when this is all over. Personally, I can’t wait to go on a week-long pub crawl.

As the world fights against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we’re doing our best to share the stories we think are most helpful to you, our community.

It’s hard to know where to start and where to stop because the news cycle is relentless. TheLatch— is not a hard-news site and I tip my hat to all the broadcast journalists working around the clock to cover this pandemic. There’s no break.

For TheLatch—, the team and I are following our intuition, and delivering stories we think are helpful — in line with our purpose and mission. We’re asking experts for advice, we’re answering your questions, we’re providing relief and reprieve, and we’re constantly looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. If you squint, you can just see it.

Below, I’ve rounded up all our stories relating to the coronavirus. My hope is that this page becomes your resource for the weeks and months ahead. I’ll continue to update and share the most helpful stories right here. So you can learn about how to make a difference in your community, or how to take care of your mental health, or exercises you can do from home, or how to talk to your kids about the pandemic, or to learn about heartwarming new initiatives, launched out of kindness.

We’ve also launched a new series called #HobbiesOverHustle, and I encourage you to have a read and take part. For so long we’ve been told to turn our hobbies into a side hustle, but why can’t we just learn something new, or enjoy something fun, without the end goal of making money from it?

Keep reading, and please let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see from TheLatch— during this time — abardas@valmorgan.com.au or on Instagram @amandabardas.