There are 40 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in New Zealand today. Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told reporters there were also three new probable cases. There were 155 cases of confirmed and probable cases, and he said the daily tally would now include probable cases.
"Screen time is quiet time" - that's the advice parenting expert Nigel Latta has for New Zealand parents as they prepare to spend the next four weeks in lockdown with their children.
As parents across the country try to get to grips with how to keep the kids entertained forat least four weeks of self-isolation, the expert tweeted some calming advice, while asking people to share their hacks for getting through it all.
"Given we're all stuck inside for the next month let's share some parenting hacks for getting through #familylockdownnz without your head literally f*****g exploding? My tip: forget screen time limits ... device time is quiet time. Embrace it. No permanent damage will be done," he wrote.
The expert advice will be welcome to parents struggling with ideas on how to keep children happy through this time, especially parents who will spend the lockdown period working from home.
Twitter users appreciated the advice.
"As a hospital doctor who will need quality down time when she gets it, I appreciate you validating my approach to screentime limits in difficult times," one person commented.
"I can comment as a remote worker-2 kids, my kids are all good. Learnt to deal with my guilt. My kids learnt to deal with Minecraft. They're no different emotionally 2 years in than before. If anything a bit smarter for their own strategic initiative playing the game," another person said.
New Zealand will enter alert level 4 at 11:59pm tomorrow and will stay in lockdown for at least four weeks.
The Government has explained that people can go out for fresh air and exercise, as long as they do so alone or with the people they are self-isolating with.
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A nationwide bear hunt is currently being set up by parents all across New Zealand, who are putting teddy bears on their windows and marking the spot online, so others can take their children on bear hunts in their neighbourhoods.
