Ceris Nieuwland (left), Ashton Lindsay, Juliann Lum, Jenny Zhu and Miriam Mylvaganam are all working from home during the lockdown, and have set their second living room up as a makeshift office.
Ceris Nieuwland (left), Ashton Lindsay, Juliann Lum, Jenny Zhu and Miriam Mylvaganam are all working from home during the lockdown, and have set their second living room up as a makeshift office.
The Herald speaks to four people during the coronavirus lockdown on how they're isolating, and what it's like. We check in once a week to show you another perspective on the impact of the quarantine.
The young professionals:
Ashton Lindsay is spending the lockdown in a villa in Thorndon, Wellington, with her four female flatmates. They are all young professionals who will work from home throughout alert level four.
Ceris Nieuwland (left), Ashton Lindsay, Juliann Lum, Jenny Zhu and Miriam Mylvaganam are all working from home during the lockdown, and have set their second living room up as a makeshift office.
"Everybody's still got their jobs and we have two lounges and a dining room downstairs. One whole lounge is actually set up kind of like a biz dojo open-plan working office."
Each flatmate has a desk and office set up in the living room, Lindsay said.
Among them is an architect, education worker, game developer, a food safety worker, and Lindsay, who works in IT and business intelligence.
"We've got to be careful because people have their work meetings all the time ... at any point in time you could be in the background of someone's work meeting."
Lindsay was so far enjoying working in a more social environment, as in her line of work her colleagues were often out of the office.
She feels energised by spending time with others, so is taking care to watch for a slip into depression. As well as talking to the neighbours, she'll be regularly Facetiming with her family in Palmerston North.
"I'm okay at the moment, but how will I be in two weeks' time?"
She also has a strong church network and is part of multiple Facebook support groups.
"It kind of feels surreal because prior to today I was excited. For me as a Christian it's more time to spend with God."
She also plans to declutter her house and tend to her garden.
But Belworthy, who is a casual worker for a childcare centre, said she was concerned about finances and being able to pay her mortgage.
She was not so concerned about her own health, but said the virus was "seriously serious".
An ex nurse of 30 years, Belworthy said coronavirus was "quite devastating for the globe".
"I get sad when people take it lightly and don't stay in isolation. The risks are hugely high and I don't want to see us end up like other countries with multiple deaths."
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The large blended family
Bronwyn Emerson and her three young boys are spending the quarantine with her partner and his two kids in Christchurch. The children are aged from 6 to 15.
Bronwyn Emerson (centre) is spending the lockdown with her three boys Matthew, 11, (left) Liam, 6, Connor, 9, her partner and his two teenagers Brady, 15, and Payton, 14. Photo / Supplied
Emerson decided to take her kids from Whanganui to Christchurch for the lockdown, partly as a trial to see how her and her partner's family managed living together.
Her 6-year-old son has also been struggling with the stress of the virus, which was one reason behind the move.
"He just didn't cope well seeing the chaos in the supermarket, he thought we were all going to turn into zombies, he was waking up with nightmares," she said.
Emerson decided to frame the trip to Christchurch as a holiday or "adventure" to take her son's mind off the stress.
The house is not large, so Emerson's three boys are sleeping in the lounge, she said.
Day one has started well with a 40-minute walk and pancakes for breakfast. But Emerson is worried they may start to go stir-crazy when the weather gets bad.
"It's going to be really hard. I've got things in place like a bingo chart."
The chart will allow the kids to cross off activities such as homework or chores, and get a reward.
