Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Zizi Sparks: Covid 19 coronavirus Delta variant: Lockdown should be extended by week at a time

Zizi Sparks
By Zizi Sparks
Multimedia journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
24 Aug, 2021 09:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Jacinda Ardern needs to extend lockdown by weeks not days. Photo / Getty

Jacinda Ardern needs to extend lockdown by weeks not days. Photo / Getty

OPINION

This alert level 4 lockdown feels like a constant state of limbo. Like we're running towards a constantly moving finish line.

At first, the finish line for most of the country was August 21, then it moved to August 24. Now it is August 28. It could move again.

Once we eventually reach that finish line we will change in alert levels and start chasing a new finish line.

It is frustrating.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Last March, when Prime Minister Jacinda Arden first announced a nationwide lockdown we immediately knew it would be for at least four weeks.

We knew we were in it for the long haul and we were prepared. Gyms distributed gear, work from home stations were established, schools set up online learning.

This time, with just hours to prepare for an initial three-day lockdown for most of the country, some schools didn't bother with online learning initially, gyms played it by ear, workplaces scrambled.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It would only be for three days, we thought.

But here we are a week later and the finish line has moved again.

Discover more

Rotorua schools roll out online learning in lockdown

23 Aug 07:00 PM

Covid testing in Lakes area jumps since level 4 imposed

22 Aug 11:30 PM

Rotorua mayor hits out at Covid-19 anti-vaxxers

23 Aug 03:43 AM

'Optimistic the tide will turn': Rotorua people react to the lockdown extension

23 Aug 07:00 AM

I would rather be told we will be in lockdown for two weeks than be told every three days it is being extended.

Having your routine thrown out could affect the hardiest of minds.

According to online mental health charity Just a Thought, the number of Kiwis searching for mental health services online skyrocketed during the first few days of lockdown.

Daily registrations doubled in the first two days for Just a Thought's online courses aimed at helping people experiencing anxiety and low mood.

Research showed a 630 per cent increase in people accessing its courses, and a 185 per cent increase in people signing up for help with anxiety and depression, during New Zealand's first extended lockdown last year.

One of the things I love about lockdown is people seem to come together and support each other more than normal. People are more likely to check in on friends and reconnect online.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, I also think it's important to switch off. This week when Ardern was getting ready to announce her latest lockdown extension decision, I went and worked out sans phone. I've also put my phone on do not disturb so I can choose when to read messages from friends and avoid the barrage.

I also believe having a fixed finish line will be a big help.

In my view, Cabinet should fully commit to a lockdown and extend it by a week at a time not days at a time.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Popular Waikato walkway fully reopens after major upgrade

02 Jul 05:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Wet, wet, wet: Rain warning for BoP as more tropical weather looms

01 Jul 11:38 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Road reopens after person hit by truck

01 Jul 11:24 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Popular Waikato walkway fully reopens after major upgrade

Popular Waikato walkway fully reopens after major upgrade

02 Jul 05:00 AM

The reopening comes seven months behind the original schedule.

Wet, wet, wet: Rain warning for BoP as more tropical weather looms

Wet, wet, wet: Rain warning for BoP as more tropical weather looms

01 Jul 11:38 PM
Road reopens after person hit by truck

Road reopens after person hit by truck

01 Jul 11:24 PM
Why an outspoken leader is resigning and returning to Rotorua

Why an outspoken leader is resigning and returning to Rotorua

01 Jul 10:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP