Daniel Andrews hits his 50th straight coronavirus update today — is it time he took a break?

Not since Harold Holt has the public been so concerned about whether a politician shows up for work.

But Daniel Andrews has that effect on people.

Today, the Victorian Premier will stride to the podium for his 50th consecutive daily coronavirus update.

"You guys right to go?" he'll ask the smattering of journalists, before the whole show begins again.

Not since Harold Holt has the public been so concerned about whether a politician shows up for work.

But Daniel Andrews has that effect on people.

Today, the Victorian Premier will stride to the podium for his 50th consecutive daily coronavirus update.

"You guys right to go?" he'll ask the smattering of journalists, before the whole show begins again.

It's a familiar routine for one of the most familiar faces on our screens these days. We Victorians can set our schedule to it.

Yet as the coronavirus numbers fall in Victoria, something is rising: a chorus of calls for Andrews to stop. To take a day off. Both for his own sake and, possibly, ours.

After all, what good is an exhausted leader?

Politics, however, has a habit of meddling with sensible suggestions.

In it for the long haul

It began in earnest last week when an emergency physician made a blunt diagnosis.

"The Premier looks knackered," tweeted Stephen Parnis.

"I'm grateful for his dedication, but if I had a colleague in emergency who worked so many days in a row, I'd order them home for their health, safety and performance."

By Sunday night, another Melburnian had joined the fray.

"Dan Andrews should take a well-deserved break," wrote Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes.

"Let someone else front the pressers. It doesn't need to always be him."

There was a groundswell of support among the #IStandWithDan crowd, who voiced their admiration for the Premier and launched pre-emptive strikes against those who might dare push back against the suggestion.

There was also a healthy dose of people saying the Premier can make up his own mind, thank you very much.

And sure enough, come Monday Andrews was back at the podium: "You guys right to go?"

This time, he was asked about Dr Parnis's comments and whether there was a minister or two who could, perhaps, maybe, just once step into the breach.

"I'll be really clear with you: I won't ask people to work harder than I do," Andrews replied.

"I'll be here until this is done. Because that's an important part of the job that I have.

"This is not about me" - Except, it kind of is about you, Premier.

The podium is political

From the moment the second wave of coronavirus cases was linked to the bungled hotel quarantine, some of the shine has come off Andrews.

Until then he had adopted a tough-love dad persona, but now he was being dogged by questions over the failures that had forced Melburnians into the strictest lockdowns to date.

And critics who had always lurked in the shadows smelled blood.

There is no doubt these daily press conferences contain useful information.

Not just about new case numbers and deaths; but about the state of the regions, the number of tests taken, what the border negotiations with other states look like, and what the thinking is around the current restrictions and when they will be eased.

But they're also as political as they are practical.

Labor itself helped make that so.

This week Federal Labor Leader Anthony Albanese and his deputy, Richard Marles, sought to land body blows on Prime Minister Scott Morrison over coronavirus deaths in Victorian aged care centres.

In doing so, they weaponised Andrews.

"Daniel Andrews hasn't been like Scott Morrison. He fronts up every day for prolonged media conferences that go for over an hour," Albanese said on Tuesday.

Marles used the same line earlier that day:

"Every day Daniel Andrews is standing up, taking the heat, taking responsibility, answering questions … frankly, that stands in stark contrast to what we're seeing at a federal level."

The talking points had clearly done the rounds. They were on to a good thing here, they figured.

Showing up = good. Not showing up = bad.

And why not?

Morrison has opened himself to the criticism of stepping away mid-crisis — not just once, but twice in recent history.

First it was his holiday to Hawaii in December as the eastern seaboard of Australia went up in flames.

Then it was images of the PM knocking back a beer at the footy in Sydney in July while millions of Australians south of the border battled a renewed COVID outbreak.

So now, having been framed as a counterpoint, a poster boy for accountability and transparency under crisis, a rod has been created for Andrews' own back.

And there are those who would seek to exploit the situation, should they be given half a chance.

But should he care?

Unrest in the ranks

Most Victorians aren't interested in these sort of blame games and are more focussed on outcomes than outrage.

The Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien is among them.

He's given the thumbs up (literally) for Andrews to take a day or two off, agreeing to a political ceasefire, on this point at least.

Profile: Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria

Daniel Michael Andrews is an Australian politician who is the 48th and incumbent Premier of Victoria, a post he has held since 2014. He has been the state leader of the Australian Labor Party since 2010, and from 2010 to 2014 was Leader of the Opposition.

Born: 6 July 1972 (age 48 years), Williamstown

Nationality: Australian

Spouse: Catherine Andrews (m. 1998)

Office: Premier of Victoria since 2014

Children: Grace Andrews, Noah Andrews, Joseph Andrews

Education: Mannix College (1990–1996), Monash University, Galen Catholic College