Lockdown Warriors are the essential workers who kept Rotorua going during alert level 4 and 3. They stocked our supermarket shelves, policed the restrictions, cared for our elderly and looked after us when we needed help. When the country was plunged into lockdown on August 17 a small army of
Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Our lockdown warriors
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"I enjoy the people, meeting people from different walks of life. I especially enjoy being with elderly people, talking to them and listening to their stories."
However, Whitmore said Covid-19 definitely has changed the way she worked.
"We're trained to respond to lots of different scenarios but the Delta variant has made our protocols stricter. It's like business as usual with extra, stricter protocols to keep everything safe and hygienic."
Although there were some parts of Whitmore's day that were easier in lockdown.
"The best part is less traffic on the road. For us, that means we can get to and from incidents a lot smoother. In level 4 we basically had the road to ourselves."
Whitmore also found having less contact between different St John teams difficult.
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"We've had to stay within our teams and working units. It's just that isolation from each other. I didn't like that. But there was a lot of texting to and fro. So we never forgot about each other."
Whitmore hasn't been able to see her elderly parents and her sons live away from home. One son had come to visit from Brisbane just before the lockdown for the first time in two years before having to head back, she said.
"I think every family's got a story to tell like that."
On the whole, Whitmore felt her work was appreciated by family, her patients and the public.
"We get lots of support from the general public and that support makes up for any aggression we face.
"It's always nice when we get a little compliment no matter how small. It makes you feel wanted."
Whitmore said a little kindness towards essential workers goes a long way.
"We're all doing our own thing in our own way for the good of the community. We're just people who like to be there and do what we can."
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Supermarket manager: Lisa Martin
Countdown Fairy Springs manager Lisa Martin has been in the supermarket business for 25 years.
"I'd just finished school and my grandmother gave me a kick up the bum and told me to get a job. Now I'm here."
Martin said Covid-19 hadn't changed the reason she went to work every day.
"I love my job. I love seeing my team do what they do and seeing them grow."
When news of the level 4 lockdown first hit, Martin said her team's response was extraordinary.
"They came back to the store even if they'd already gone home, some team members stayed on even if their shift was finished. They started controlling the entrance. We had the checkouts all open. It was amazing."
Martin said one of her managers stepped up to deliver groceries to a rest home with 82 residents.
"There was no asking, no nothing. He just stepped up."
Even with a great team behind her, Martin's own experience of lockdown wasn't easy.
"I'm a mum of a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. Juggling a family is hard enough in normal times without having to deal with more anxiety and stress, or people who have been unkind.
"On top of that, we're proud retailers and seeing gaps on the shelves and stock just going out the door like it's Christmas with no plan can be quite disheartening."
Martin said it was "mentally exhausting" and encouraged the public to stay patient as they restocked the shelves.
"There's a lot of pressure on all arms of the business."
However, Martin said she and her team have appreciated the emails and thanks they've received from customers.
"That makes you feel good, that makes the team feel good."
Aged care worker: Kathy Satchell
Glenbrae Rest Home and Retirement Village wellness leader Kathy Satchell should have been in Rarotonga celebrating her daughter Paige's Olympic run as a Football Fern.
Instead, on August 17 the enrolled nurse was dividing her work teams into bubbles.
"There's a lot of work when you go into lockdown. Everything is twice as hard but it's just a matter of keeping everyone safe.
"It takes a lot of time to split everyone up and you can't have any staff crossing over from different teams."
But, Satchell said, getting all the precautions in place helped the team to focus on caring for the residents holistically.
"Mind, heart, body and soul, it's all important to keep people well. You've got to look at the whole person."
Satchell's team have organised mini-Olympic competitions and different ways to help families stay in contact with their loved ones.
"To have a bit of fun and laughter is the best medicine in these times."
Satchell said kindness and communication were key to keeping everyone's stress levels down.
"I think we've all got to stop and be a little kinder to each other."
Satchell wanted to thank all of the residents' families for trusting her and the team to look after their loved ones.
"Hopefully we're nearly at the end of all this."
Firefighter: Steve Johns
Firefighter Steve Johns has been on the frontlines of emergency response for a little more than 15 years.
He was inspired by his father who was a firefighter for 24 years before an on-the-job injury forced his retirement.
"I've always wanted to do it, be able to go out into the community and help people whether it's a cat up a tree or something more serious."
While Johns said there was a little more time for training and wearing PPE gear to all medical calls during lockdown, the job itself hasn't changed.
"We still have to do the same thing. To every job, we bring our experience as a crew. It doesn't matter if they're a new firefighter or they've been at it for years, they're bringing life experience. It's never down to one person."
Johns' children live out of town and he was unable to see them in person during the lockdowns.
"We wanted to keep those bubbles separate."
Johns thanked his partner for being supportive of his work and the public too.
"Because you stayed home, we didn't go out and become exposed to Covid-19. You've made it easier for all essential workers."
He hoped the support would continue post lockdown.
"Now's the time for everyone to check their smoke alarms, to make sure not to overload their multi-plugs with their work stations at home and keep everything a little way from the heater. Check your barbecue for LPG leaks."
Court security officers: Jessica Barnett and Carla Te Iwimate
For 19-year-old Jessica Barnett, working in security is all about the people. Barnett said being part of a team was one of the drivers behind her career choice and she felt Court security played an important role in the court system.
"We're usually the first faces you see when you walk into the courthouse. The toughest part about working during lockdown would be having no interaction with the public."
Carla Te Iwimate, who has worked at the Ministry of Justice for 10 years, agreed.
"One of the hardest things about lockdown was telling support people that they couldn't enter the premises."
Barnett and Te Iwimate agree teamwork became more important than ever during the lockdown.
"There were only six of us working during level 4," Te Iwimate said.
"We definitely got to know each other better."
Barnett said she had come to view her PPE gear as part of her work equipment.
Te Iwimate said the pandemic has changed the way she looks at her job.
"I have to be more aware of my surroundings healthwise. I have to be aware of what I do daily, of the cleanliness."
Police: Road Policing Sergeant Anna Plowman
New Zealand Police road policing sergeant Anna Plowman comes from a family of teachers and police officers.
"It's just in our DNA to be helping people. It's something I've always wanted to do."
Plowman said the toughest part of working during the lockdown was stress.
"Pressure gets put on people on all different levels: Home, kids, work, finances and that's even before you even consider the Delta variant. In those first couple of days we didn't know how far it had spread and all those things take a toll."
But Plowman said it was nice to see how people came together.
"We live in a world where we're just so busy we don't get the opportunity to have time with our kids. That's forced on you in lockdown, in a good way.
"As police we've had a lot of engagement with other organisations that have solidified our relationships with other organisations which will be good for everyone moving forward."
Plowman said the pandemic had also increased the visibility of the police.
"We do care about people. We want them to be safe. I think people know that. When I've been out at checkpoints people have let us know they're happy to see us out there."
Plowman and her husband, also a police officer, were very grateful for the support of family.
"My sister has been crucial in helping us out with looking after my daughter.
"I'm also grateful to everyone who did adhere to lockdown rules. The biggest thing the public can do is continue adhering to the new restrictions in Level 2. There's still the potential for this outbreak to spread."
Nurse: Caroline de Villiers
Caroline de Villiers had wanted to be a nurse since a school camp accident landed her in hospital at age 9.
"I just loved those nurses."
Now de Villiers has been a nurse for 22 years and not even a pandemic has changed how much she loves her job.
"The best part for me is the feeling when I go to work and over the last few weeks there's been a real heightened sense of teamwork that's been great."
De Villiers' role has changed over the lockdown but she said everyone "just mucks in and gets it done".
"I do a lot of education around the safe use of PPE and patient flow. Everyday stuff has had to make room for the Covid-19 stuff."
For de Villiers, the most difficult part of lockdown has been restricting visitors.
"It takes a toll on everyone. People just don't get the time to spend with their unwell family members."
De Villiers said staff had gone above and beyond to support patients and their whānau.
"It's just about having someone there when you can't have family there.
"I feel like our patients and our visitors are lovely everyone has shown a huge amount of patience."
While de Villiers has been worried about not being able to visit her own parents she wanted to thank everyone for their response to the lockdown.
"We just need to keep looking after each other and checking on those around us who are vulnerable."
