Such apprehension was understandable given a surge in new coronavirus cases, especially in NSW, and a, in some cases belated, community awareness of how serious the crisis has become.

While, on the one hand, it is good a majority of Australians have got the message, it is important government policy is driven by expert medical advice, not public opinion. This is not the time to be running the country on the basis of focus groups and opinion polls.

When the Prime Minister, and the chief medical officer, say decisions to keep schools open for now, and to hold off on closing down everything but supermarkets, doctors surgeries and chemists is based on the medical advice, that should be respected.

The challenge has always been to strike a tradeoff between keeping our society functioning while protecting the lives of the most vulnerable. If the government fails to do the first it won't be able to do the second.

The eruption of massive queues of the newly unemployed outside Centrelink Offices since Monday is proof these decisions have devastating consequences.

It is understandable Mr Morrison, and the national cabinet, think long and hard about new initiatives that will inflict further pain. That hasn't stopped them from acting, however.

A visibly emotional Prime Minister announced a raft of new business sector closures, and further restrictions on social gatherings, on Tuesday night.

Weddings are now limited to five people. Funerals are restricted to 10. Bans on open houses and auctions have effectively shut the property industry down. House parties are an absolute no-no. Amusement parks and arcades, play centres, beauty therapists - excluding hairdressers, health spas and massage parlours have all been told to shut up shop.

Some states and territories have already introduced serious penalties, including fines and even jail time, for breaching self-isolation and other coronavirus linked social distancing requirements.

On a more positive note, the deputy chief medical officer, Dr Paul Kelly, did his best to put the latest figures into perspective on Tuesday afternoon.

He noted while the number of cases had jumped to 2,252, driven in large part by a spike in NSW, there was an upside. The increases were proof the testing regimen was working. Also, cases were being identified at an early stage.

"We are finding the cases, most of which are still from overseas, quite early," he said. "Contact tracing is working. The majority of the cases are mild; only 197 people or 8.79 per cent have been hospitalised because they were sick. Of these only 17 per cent are in intensive care".

Australia's health services were a long way from being overwhelmed: "We're ready for what is coming at us," he said.

This is the type of information the public needs to hear. It is also what is driving the "scalable" response that is currently being rolled out.

That response took a new turn on Tuesday with the announcement of a coronavirus coordination committee, to be headed by former Fortescue Metals boss, Neville Power, and charged with helping the national cabinet to ensure all resources are "marshalled in a coordinated and effective manner".

The recruitment of some of the brightest and most experienced leaders in the nation, including the likes of Greg Combet and David Thodey, can only be a good thing at a time when it is a case of all hands on deck.