The Panic Starts

Week beginning: 6 January 2020

There is a report in the news today of a mystery illness in China. The Government issues a statement that they are not worried about and not doing anything about it. A Professor of Public Health in Dunedin says we need to be looking at our national pandemic plan and seeing what parts we might want to be putting into practice. He also says we should be watching the borders. Is he being over-cautious?

There is something about the news report makes me decide to keep a diary of what is happening over the next few months. Each day or so I plan to record what I see in the news and in the street, and I will also note how I am feeling. Especially if I start to feel sick at all.

Week beginning: 13 January 2020

I hear of cases of the new virus spreading in Southeast Asia

D is at a business conference in Thailand, I will be glad when he is home and safe. I am reminded of 2009 with the Swine Flu virus and P was in USA for a fortnight. I had worried about him going, and I was happy when he got back.

Week beginning: 20 January 2020

Over 500 cases of the mystery virus, including 17 deaths, worldwide.

The first case is confirmed in Australia. Should we in New Zealand be concerned? I am not feeling worried at the moment, but I am watching the news very closely.

Week beginning: 27 January 2020

New Zealand Public Health staff are ‘meeting flights from China’ to look for signs of the virus. What on earth are they expecting to see? We have thousands of arrivals daily, are they inspecting every person?  Things are getting more concerning. Maybe there need to be stricter measures at the border?

We are seeing terrible scenes playing out in China – people being prevented from leaving their homes or their compounds. People being taken from their homes by men in hazmat suits and being put into forced quarantine. It’s dreadful! It’s hard to believe. How do they think they can do that to people? Force them to stay in their homes or force them to leave their homes for quarantine. The Chinese Government has so much power that it’s scary.

Week beginning: 3 February 2020

The Government charters a flight to evacuate New Zealand residents and citizens back to New Zealand from China and quarantine them in camper vans at Whangaparaoa. This looks very dramatic and rather dangerous to be bringing people into the country who could bring the virus. Here’s hoping it all works well.

The Government puts entry restrictions on foreign nationals travelling here from or through China. They have to self-isolate for 14 days. How many flights a day are coming in from China? What are the arrivals being told? Do they understand? And will they follow the instructions? It’s all sounding a bit fluffy and I would like to see things being much clearer. Especially as the NZ residents and citizens have been put into quarantine. Maybe the visitors need to go into quarantine too.

Week beginning: 10 February 2020

The virus is spreading around the world. It’s sounding absolutely deadly, and very scary. Would international travel restrictions be a good idea? If this disease is as deadly as being reported then  I think we need to be taking more care with who comes into the country. We are an island nation; we have a 2000 km moat around our shorelines. We are ideally placed to keep safe. I want the Government to properly protect our borders. Why is it not doing so?

Tuesday 11 February 2020

The World Health Organisation officially names the new Wuhan coronavirus. The virus itself is SARS-CoV2, and the disease in humans is COVID-19. This stands for COronaVIrusDisease 2019.

Week beginning: 17 February 2020

Lots of infections are breaking out on cruise ships, which are being called floating petri dishes for the infection. This is very scary for those holiday makers in particular because they have no way to get away and it appears that it’s a very dangerous disease. Why are the cruise ships with sick people on them still docking at ports all round New Zealand and taking the passengers on tiki tours around holiday places?

More cases are appearing in Europe.

A fortnight of campervan quarantine for those who return from Wuhan is completed, and they are all in the clear and no virus spreading occurs from them, which is brill.

Week beginning: 24 February 2020

Italy is looking bad with lots of cases, and quarantine restrictions are starting. Do we need stricter border controls in New Zealand? I am very concerned about this. It’s obvious that this dangerous virus is travelling fast all round the world and we have open borders. What about flights from Europe to New Zealand?

Friday 28 February 2020

I decide to make an extra trip to the supermarket this week. I get some store cupboard stuff like muesli ingredients, imported jars of food like pickles and olives, paper towels. I want to ensure that my cupboard is well stocked, without hoarding or panic-buying.

Within a couple of hours of my arriving home from the supermarket we hear that we have our first case in New Zealand. Someone who has flown in from Iran. The news causes panic-buying at the supermarkets of hand sanitiser, tinned food and in particular – toilet roll. I get in just before the rush. I don’t understand the toilet paper panic buy. We manufacture toilet roll in NZ, we’re not going to run out of it.

I wonder why the Government is not protecting the borders. They appear to be unaware of what is happening or the worldwide panic.

Saturday 29 February 2020

We are told that health staff are now meeting flights from HK, Japan, S Korea, Singapore and Thailand. I wonder what ‘meeting’ means? The world is panicking and New Zealand does not have border protection from what is looking like a dreadful and seriously dangerous, highly infectious disease. Why is our Government not protecting New Zealand?

Wednesday 4 March 2020

A woman who visits northern Italy is New Zealand’s second case. Is she one of those who were ‘met at the border’? Italy is in serious trouble from the virus and still we have flights arriving from Italy and other places.

Thinking ahead to later in the year when things start to improve – I wonder if there will be some specials on flights to encourage people to travel again like there was after 9/11? I will check the flight prices to Australia or the Islands for August.

I am also making plans for our trip to the South Island in a couple of weeks. Getting the caravan organised, planning what we might do and where we might go.

Monday 9 March 2020

Things are changing fast. Five days ago I am considering a holiday in Australia, today, the idea of travelling to Australia in August is losing its appeal. I am thinking that we will stay in New Zealand for an August holiday. I make some plans for a timeshare week in Paihia. I think I might wear disposable gloves at the supermarket to protect against the virus that might have been transferred from an infected person to the trolley. I feel self-conscious about it though.

Wednesday 11 March 2020

The WHO declares an official pandemic.

At the Women’s Institute dinner, we are discussing the virus, and someone says she is planning to go to the UK for a holiday in May to see her family there, and she is planning to do lots of touring around. This alarms me. Does she really think it’s a good idea to do that in present circumstances? Is she not aware of the seriousness of what is going on? I am concerned to protect my health because of an injury to my ribcage which is still healing.  It is painful to deep breathe, so to cough or sneeze or laugh even would be hard for me, so I really don’t want to get the virus which would mean I would be coughing a lot. I am doing everything I can to protect myself with sensible things like handwashing, keeping distance and disposable gloves at the supermarket for the trolley and the keypad at payment.

Friday 13 March 2020

We go out for dinner to celebrate a birthday. Things are quiet in the restaurant, but we do see people out, enjoying themselves and socialising. All peaceful and happy. Maybe a bit quieter than usual? I don’t know. But I feel safe. I personally would avoid very large gatherings now because I don’t want to get a disease that will make me cough.

This afternoon the Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff, announces that Auckland Pasifika Festival which is to start tomorrow is cancelled. A last-minute cancellation is very hard for all involved as they now have to sort out things like food which will be wasted, and all the arrangements and costs that they have incurred. It should have been cancelled days ago at the very least. Large gatherings are a great place to transmit the virus and we know this virus is spreading, especially as people come in from overseas bringing the virus.

Ardern is making no comment about the virus, she is very much focused on Sunday 15 March when there will be an international memorial service in Christchurch and Ardern will be centre stage.

Saturday 14 March 2020

New Zealand gets a sixth case. Government announces that cruise ships are banned from entering New Zealand. But then Ruby Princess gets an exemption for the last port of call in Hawkes Bay. Why?

At 2pm this afternoon Ardern reluctantly finally cancels the Christchurch memorial service planned for tomorrow and turns her attention to dealing with the Covid problem. Government says that every person entering the country from Monday 16 March must self-isolate for 14 days.

Sunday 15 March 2020

Eight confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand now. Ardern says New Zealand will follow Taiwan’s example in their strategy to fight the epidemic. That’s interesting because Taiwan closed their borders early and monitored arrivals before the first reported case. That has certainly not happened here.

Monday 16 March 2020

The media are dramatising and scaring people. Reporters go to the airport to meet planeloads of tourists coming in this morning. The reporters ask the tourists if they are planning to self-isolate in line with Government instructions, the tourists say no. Two thousand tourists arrive on this single morning, how many are carrying the virus? How many tourists arrive in a week? So the borders are not protected after all.

Ardern says that any tourists not self-isolating will be deported. That’s laughable! How does she intend to find them? How long will it take to find them? How will she know that they have not self-isolated? And what tourist, here for a fortnight, is going to self-isolate for their full time here and then leave the country? Absolute foolishness to think that she can find and deport all the culprits.

European countries are closing borders, cases outside China have overtaken the total number of stated cases in China. Europe is now the epicentre of the pandemic.

Ardern says ‘be kind’ . Oh for goodness sake! We need the borders to be properly protected. We need to know more about the virus, and how dangerous it is. And we do not need to be told to be kind. We are not in kindy!

An Otago University report says that 150,000 Kiwis might get sick enough to need to go to hospital. 36,600 might need ICU treatment. 27,600 could die – vast majority of them being over 60 yrs.

That’s dramatic. Should we be worried? What is going to happen in the future? The number of cases in New Zealand is going up very slowly, is that just the start of an exponential curve?

We set off for the South Island. The first night we stay at a Park Over Property near Te Awamutu, and the lady shakes hands with us. I am surprised that she shakes hands.. Am I being a bit paranoid because of my health? I need to be aware and take care of myself, but is worrying about a handshake a bit too fussy?

Tuesday 17 March 2020

Twelve confirmed and probable cases in total. A school in Dunedin will close for two days after a pupil is confirmed with the virus.

Wednesday 18 March 2020

Eight new confirmed and probable cases today.

We get a morning coffee in Paekakariki. All the cafes are open, the sun is shining, there are no masks or gloves anywhere, everyone is relaxed. People are sitting outside in the sun, playing chess, reading the paper, chatting. Idyllic. It feels nice.

We get the ferry across Cook Strait. I am very particular. I insist on us wearing disposable gloves to hold onto railings as we move about the ship. We have a cabin which I wipe down very carefully with tea tree spray. P isn’t so keen, but I insist. He feels self-conscious and so do I, but I want to protect us both for now. There are European tourists on the ferry, I am careful to keep a sensible distance. No-one else on the ferry is wearing gloves or masks. There is a hand sanitiser station on the ferry, but I don’t see anyone using it.

Thursday 19 March 2020

Eight more new confirmed and probable cases. Twenty-eight confirmed and probable cases all together now, and all with links to overseas travel. Why are people not being educated on the value and importance of handwashing, and of not touching your face, to avoid the virus? People need to know what to do and not do in order to avoid contaminating themselves and others.

The Government is now closing our borders to all but New Zealand citizens and permanent residents.

Friday 20 March 2020

Eleven more confirmed and probable cases; thirty-nine current confirmed and probable cases in the country. Auckland Council closes pools, libraries, galleries and community facilities for two weeks. That seems like a good idea for the moment to close things for a couple of weeks. Things are changing fast and there is an atmosphere of concern and worry about the virus.

Saturday 21 March 2020

We have a family lunch out at Oxley’s café in Picton, and then we take a water taxi to a place where we can have a lovely walk. The café is quite quiet. Are people starting to stay at home more? As we are choosing our food, A notices the waitresses are watching the television. When they come to take the order, he asks about it. They tell us that Ardern has had a press conference and says that the Government has introduced a four-level Alert system to help combat Covid-19 and she has put New Zealand on ‘Level Two’ straight away. This means social distancing and awareness, maybe some places closed. When we go for the water taxi, I am careful not to touch the boat or any handrails with my hands. Feeling aware, being careful, and aware of tension increasing in the country.

Sunday 22 March 2020

I am feeling a bit concerned about this rising tension in the country, but P says we are okay. I don’t feel okay. We say goodbye to A and B and head off to Golden Bay. We are wondering what might happen in the next two weeks and I am worried and think we need to get back across to the North Island just in case. P is confident that we will be okay; in fact he laughs in my face when I say I want to get back to the North Island. Ouch! I insist, and eventually he agrees that we can bring forward our return sailing from 7 April to the closest date we can get, which is next weekend, so we rebook for Sunday 29 March. We will have a few days in Golden Bay then we will get across the water on Sunday and have a cruisy time as we head north towards home at our own pace.

We stay overnight at Pelorus Bridge DOC campsite. The camp site warden says they are very quiet compared to usual. Everywhere is feeling quieter than expected. It’s a strange feeling. We pay for one night and might stay two, but a couple of hours later the warden comes to tell us that DOC is closing all its campsites on Monday 23 March so we will have to leave tomorrow after all. This is a disappointment and sounds a bit overly dramatic from DOC.