Coronavirus Update #10
There is something surreal about getting to double digits in my weekly coronavirus diary. Someday I’ll get up the nerve to go back and read them all in order, and I think it will be fascinating to see the progression quickly, as opposed to how slowly things move now. These days are LONG.
May 1 - There are 3 new cases today, one of which is still under investigation as to its source. Despite new cases every day, some without clear transmissions, there is an overwhelming sense that it is a fait accompli that we’re moving into Level 2 on May 11th and this will all be behind us. I can’t help but feel that maybe it is too soon. I know people are getting stir crazy (myself included) but we are so close. Doesn’t it make sense to wait until this is completely squashed before going out in public?
So far I’ve been contacted by my chiropractor, hair dresser, and kids’ school uniform shop to schedule appointments for next week. I’ve gone ahead and made the appointments, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about this.
In other news, Kiwis have been going bonkers for take out. Three McDonald’s are closing back down because they are already out of stock. There are articles upon articles about restaurant workers completely overwhelmed by demand and terrified to say anything about poor social distancing to customers in line. I haven’t ventured out for a meal yet, but I have high hopes for tomorrow. I might even double down and try to get a coffee in the morning, too.
May 2 - There was another death today. Bringing our total to 20, 11 of which came from the Rosewood home. There are also 6 more cases today, which is frightening. Clearly these cases aren’t a result of our transition to Level 3 as that still only happened a few days ago, but it does make me wonder how well new cases will be contained once people feel more and more comfortable out and about. Apparently I’m not the only one thinking this. Several colleagues at Otago University’s Department of Public Health posted a proposed table that provides much more useful data about where infections are coming from. I would love to see this type of information made public so we can more accurately assess our personal risk.
In more positive news, two clusters have been closed - meaning there haven’t been any new cases in 28 days.
May 3 - 2 new cases today - both are family members of employees of another infected rest home. This is the type of transmission that has me very nervous at Level 3. What barriers are in place to keep these two individuals from spreading coronavirus to their workplace? Or to the public if they go out for takeout?
Last night we decided to order take out for the first time. There were people milling about waiting for their food, and I was the only person wearing a mask. The employees had gloves, but no masks on. I made sure to bring my order into our cleaning space to wipe down all of the packaging and transfer to the food to our own dishes before bringing anything to the table. Then I disposed of all of the take away packaging and wiped everything down again before joining my family for dinner. I saw other people dive into their curry as they got back to their cars without cleaning anything. I could only shake my head. It was disturbing and frightening.
May 4 - First day with no new cases! May the Fourth Be With You! We’re all ecstatic that we’ve reached this milestone, but the news is quick to point out that this shows how successful we were at Level 4 - not how well we’re doing at Level 3. The next sentence in the newspaper articles is usually some version of “and so far, New Zealanders aren’t showing themselves to be particularly responsible under Level 3. If we can’t contain ourselves now, we won’t move to Level 2.”
May 5 - No new cases today! This is the second day in a row, and we’re all hopeful that maybe, just maybe, we’ll be in the clear. This weekend will be a big test to see if cases are spreading under Level 3. I’m almost confident that we might beat this disease.
There’s also a new law to be introduced to give the government powers to change visa conditions. over the next 12 months These include:
Impose, vary or cancel conditions for classes of temporary-entry visa holders
Vary or cancel conditions for classes of resident-class visa holders
Extend the expiry dates of visas for classes of people
Grant visas to individuals and classes of people in the absence of an application
Waive any regulatory requirements for certain classes of application
Waive the requirement to obtain a transit visa
Suspend the ability to make applications for visas or submit expressions of interest in applying for visas by classes of people
Revoke the entry permission of people who arrive either on private aircraft or marine vessels (to align them with people who arrive on commercial flights, who can already be refused entry)
So changes are coming, but we don’t know what yet. There’s also talk of creating a Trans-Tasman travel bubble with Australia, maybe in September or October. It’s uplifting to think that some travel might return, but also a little terrifying. Can we trust Australia to keep New Zealand safe? It seems like a big gamble at this point.
May 6 - Our streak is over. There are 2 new cases today, both connected to existing clusters, but one is particularly strange because it is a student at a local high school who felt sick earlier, got a negative test, and only later after losing her sense of smell did she test positive. Could she have been carrying coronavirus for weeks believing she was negative? There are some serious implications to this story. There’s also been another death from the Rosewood Rest Home, bringing our total for the country to 21.
In other news, people are getting very complacent and completely ignoring social distancing suggestions. At the park today, a random woman asks to pet my dog, and I saw a group of eight people and about 12 dogs all congregating and clumping together. There was no pretence of staying apart, and I really, really hope this sort of laissez faire attitude doesn’t get us into trouble.
May 7 - Just one more case today and information on what Level 2 will look like when we get there. Most of the country will open up with some precautions and distancing in place. The general guidelines are that we are able to connect with people we know, but to try to avoid interactions with strangers. Places of business can open up if they can keep customers a meter apart, and places like hairdressers can open up if they can practice good hygiene and keep good records incase contact tracing is needed. Restaurants can open up if people are seated and far enough apart. Events can take place with no more than 100 people.
Schools will also open up, but distance learning will still be available. I’ll be very curious to see how many kids return to school right away. I know a lot of parents are still wary, and there are also a lot of families who really enjoy the distance learning system that’s been put in place. The earliest schools could open up is the 18th of May - assuming we move to Level 2 next Wednesday the 13th. I’ll be closely watching if more cases start popping up. That will be 2.5 weeks since we entered Level 3, so if there is community spread happening at Level 3, I would expect to see an increase in cases. Fortunately, that hasn’t been the case - yet.
