Jenene Crossan is asking New Zealanders to please take coronavirus seriously. Photo / Twitter
Jenene Crossan is asking New Zealanders to please take coronavirus seriously. Photo / Twitter
A New Zealand entrepreneur has shared her coronavirus story, saying this was "definitely not a top 40 list I intended on being on".
New Zealand now has 39 confirmed cases, and Jenene Crossan has confirmed today she is one of them.
Crossan has been keeping her Twitter followers up-to-date since arriving in New Zealand from the UK earlier this week, tweeting about her symptoms, which included heavy breathing and coughing.
She spoke to her followers in a video posted from her hospital bed on Friday night.
Crossan, founder of online hair and beauty booking website Flossie, said she was having chest X-Rays and "making sure that the bloods and everything are doing what they are supposed to be doing when a virus is trying to have a good old attack at it".
"The purpose of sharing is rumour mills themselves have already gone into action, and I prefer to control my own rhetoric. And also because there is so much panic out there that it's easy for everybody to think of death and despair and it's not going to be entirely that.
"There's going to be some sick people and there's going to be people who get better again."
Jenene Crossan, founder of online hair and beauty booking website Flossie. Photo / File
Crossan flew from Gatwick back to New Zealand on March 13 and said she was concerned by the lack of sanitiser and other protection measures at Gatwick Airport.
Not a single counter @Gatwick_Airport has any protection for their front line team, across any counter. An utter disgrace @theguardian you may want to look at this. I’ve spoken to worried staff, who know they’re at risk
Outrageous @qatarairways your frontline staff don’t even have hand sanitiser at their counters. Highest risk team. Your duty of care is to them. You’re risking them with every interaction without any protection @Gatwick_Airport#cv-19
Once she boarded the flight, the situation wasn't much better, as she claims was told by airline staff they had just that day been allowed to wear gloves and masks. There was also no hand sanitiser on board, she wrote.
Empty plane, yet @qatarairways charged me £1.5k for one extra bag. I got over that, too busy being freaked out by staff telling me only today they’re “allowed” to wear gloves / masks. Apparently not a good look. No hand sanitiser & soap ran out
Once in New Zealand, she wrote about the heartbreak of having to head straight to a bach in the bush for self-isolation without even being able to see her family.
"It's a tough call as I haven't seen my husband and kids for two months. But one of them has a compromised immune system, I can't risk it," she wrote.
I’m heading straight to the Bach on my own to self isolate. It’s a tough call as I haven’t seen my husband and kids for two months. But one of them has a compromised immune system, I can’t risk it. Beach time in the bush. Perfect rest option after a super stressful time. pic.twitter.com/QiPo8W6Fvk
It’s absolutely broke my heart not being able to hug my husband. We waved at each other. And then I drove down to the bush. It’s beautiful. But wow this has been quite the week. Stress levels? High. Now to take some big deep breaths & reset. Lots of work to do. What a weird life
Crossan, who developed a "nasty" cough in self-isolation, reminded everyone of the importance of self-isolating to keep others safe.
Not sure if you should self isolate, even if you got home before the cut off? I’m glad I did. This cough has kept me awake all night & it’s nasty. No means for testing, hunkering down only option. We must take remote seriously to #flattenthecurve
Breathing hard, cough & throat an abomination. But at least I’m not crying uncontrollably. I’d call that progress. Worst jet lag ever, just saying. Also thanks for the notes & kindness, whilst I want to avoid social media, I appreciate the support - family struggling a bit /2
She urged New Zealanders to take coronavirus seriously and "hunker down for a bit".
And if you’re not already, it is time to take this seriously. Even if I just have a flu, it’s not fun & there is little medical help available. They’re loaded already. Helping each other out is great, but look out for you and yours. Hunker down for a bit /3
Crossan was tested for coronavirus and received a text saying the result was negative. That text turned out to not be for her and her results were still pending on March 18.
I’ll tell you what is an emotional upheaval....got text “your result is negative”. I cried... Nekminit “sorry that was sent in error, still pending result”. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. My wee emotions would prefer to not have this extra drama added to an already intense time #tears
A few hours later, clearly struggling with breathing issues, she posted her latest video diary, from the hospital, saying she expects to be out by tomorrow (Saturday) and back to quarantine in her campervan.
