As the battle against COVID-19 continues, many Australians are now left scratching their head with no employment and no signs of a normal world anytime soon.

That's exactly what has happened to Mount Isa barman Chris Billings.

A well known face behind the bar at the Overlander Hotel for ten years, Mr Billings said pub workers needed more information from the Federal Government.

"The government hasn't given us any advice on what we should be doing for work, all they have said is your business may be shut for up to six months and that there is a job seeker allowance, but that doesn't pay the bills," Mr Billings said.

"They haven't told us if we should be waiting out the lock down or looking for other jobs, I know am looking for other work but some of my friends said they will wait it out. That's a risk I am not willing to take.

"There aren't a whole lot of jobs left out there at the moment, only the essentials like Coles, Woolworths and service stations."

Mr Billings said everyone needed to keep being social in these times.

"Through being forced to social distance we are required to find new and old ways to reconnect, with today's technology of Facebook, Skype and Instagram we are able to stay connected with loved ones.

"So many people are now reconnecting the old ways with having a yarn over the fence with the next door neighbour or even picking up the wall mounted phone.

"Everyone is being forced to be less social but in reality most people sit on their phones all day scrolling through Facebook. We still have our phones so that's not any different, there's so many different ways we can keep in touch with our phones."

Minister for Employment and Small Business Shannon Fentiman said online employment portal SEEK had advised of 68 new job vacancies in Mount Isa.

"We know this is a tough time for the region with the jobs of so many Queenslanders evaporating virtually overnight," Ms Fentiman said.

"It's good news to see that according to the SEEK online jobs portal there are up to 68 jobs in Mount Isa waiting to be filled."

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