We are a nation of plenty, so there's no need to stockpile, writes Rob Rattenbury. Photo / File
We are a nation of plenty, so there's no need to stockpile, writes Rob Rattenbury. Photo / File
COMMENT:
New Zealand is at total war for the first time in the lifetimes of many readers.
This is not a war where our young people are slaughtered by guns and bombs in an argument usually started by old men, it is a war against an unseen, sinister and deadlyenemy, that now well-known beastie virus Covid-19.
New Zealand has had pandemics before, the last being sporadically in the early 40s and 50s when polio racked our nation.
The worst of course was the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic with 9000 deaths, including 2500 Maori. Our population then was around the 1 million mark, so a significant proportion of our nation did not survive.
Our borders are now closed to outsiders but shipping and cargo planes are still arriving so our lifelines for goods and medicines are operating fine. No need to panic.
What is disturbing is the need for many people to completely lose the plot, hoarding toilet rolls and foodstuffs.
Psychologist Nigel Latta describes this phenomenon as a psychological need for some people to seek security in times of great stress. As a community we should not panic, we are a nation of plenty.
We have, at last count, two factories making toilet paper for local consumption, maybe more. We produce some of the best food in the world and are still importing goods.
Things are likely to get worse before they get better but our Government has stepped up well, in my opinion.
There will be naysayers, armchair experts and political activists who will disagree. I say to you this is not about politics, this is about New Zealand coming together to ride this storm out in unity.
All New Zealand politicians of all hues have, with the exception of the Leader of the Opposition, Simon Bridges, risen to the occasion.
Whilst it is the opposition's important role to question and test government policy or offer alternative advice, this need not be done acrimoniously as we have seen recently.
There is a time to put politics aside and war-time is that time, this is the time where, if not a formal Grand Coalition being formed as happened during the World Wars in New Zealand, an informal crossing of the floor on occasions will do more good than harm.
New Zealanders do not want their elected leaders at each other's throats - they want leadership, no matter how they vote.
We have chosen to undertake a form of self-isolation during the coming weeks, only leaving home to get milk and icecreams from the dairy or attend medical appointments and uplift medicines.
We get all our shopping organised and delivered by the delightful home shopper Angela at Countdown and the cheery delivery guy Kamal, not real names but real, decent, very hard-working people who we value dearly.
Our courier drivers, including Jimmy, help us keep in touch as well. Bruce the postie calls every two days with a cheerio.
Jason, our lawn guy and neighbour keeps tabs on the place. Everything is done by home computer or iPhone in this boomer home.
The kids are keeping away but this is difficult as we are a close family but both of us are in the 15 per cent category for different reasons and want to be around a bit longer for our kids and grandies.
We do have a couple of functions coming up but are not sure what to do about this yet, I guess as time goes by it will become clear what we need to do to stay safe, things are changing so quickly at present.
There is hope on the horizon, as at writing I see that China is closing down virus hospitals as no new cases are coming forward, they are also starting to open up workplaces as well.
This is good news if true, but they are about three months ahead of the rest of the world with this virus.
Our Government has a pandemic plan and is basing its strategies and planning on how places such as Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore have been managing.
These three nations have recent experience with the Sars epidemic some years ago so know what needs to be done and when.
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If you have older family members self-isolating, keep in touch by phone or social media, make sure they have enough of everything.
The hardest thing for us is maybe not being able to see our granddaughter for some time.
Hopefully the Government's strategy of "flattening out" the effect of the virus will prevent cross-community infection which could lead to a relaxation of the counter-measures.
