Yesterday New Zealand’s Prime Minister announced that we would go to level 3 for 48 hours then into level 4, total lockdown of non-essential services and isolation of everyone for 4 weeks. I still think 99% of the world’s population don’t understand how serious this is going to get. We’ve built a system around the two main variables of “Time” and “Money” and this pandemic is draining both.
A week ago I walked past the shelves lined with toilet rolls and hand sanitiser . A few days later they were empty. On Sunday we stocked our pantry reasonable well, bought things like rice and flour that can keep for a while and be filling. After the announcement yesterday the shops went wild, this morning people were lined up waiting for them to open and hour later than usual, which gives them time to re-stock their shelves. Once they were open security allowed people in one at a time, as one person wheeled out a fully laden shopping trolley the next person was allowed in..
40 Hours before lockdown:
38 Hours till Lockdown at The base, a usually bustling centre of activity.
Many people are still taking things very lightly and ignoring all the warnings, and the signs to keep off the playgrounds. 36 Hours to total lockdown and kids are still gathering in groups.
Hamilton city was quiet, as was the lake.
Lots to get done…. the news just mentioned another 40 new cases today. Maybe people will take it more seriously when we pass 1000.
Later in the afternoon we took another drive through the shopping area and saw the barber open, cutting someone’s hair and I thought “They’re just not getting it, how serious the situation is”.
18:00 hrs Tuesday evening - received this reply from my mother back in South Africa about their lockdown “We start lockdown on Thursday. We are allowed to go to supermarkets, drs etc.
There are so many poor people here who can't stockpile, the government are asking the rich not to clear the shelves. Ours is for 3 weeks.”
Will 3 weeks be long enough?