I considered whether it was wise for the school camp to go ahead. Photo / File
I considered whether it was wise for the school camp to go ahead. Photo / File
THE GLASS HALF-FULL
Writing this column early on the topic of coronavirus seems a risk. Everything is changing so fast – but I'm away on my son's school camp so am fitting it in around excited children waking far too early (4.36am) and visits to Rotokare sanctuary.
Our response to the virus isall about risk management and I considered whether it was wise for the school camp to go ahead, but until schools are shut (and they might not need to be if we take this first wave response seriously), the risks of being on camp are probably similar to going to school for my child.
And for me, being around the same 14 adults for four days is probably less risky than my usual working week.
Keeping my children calm about the virus hasn't taken too much effort thanks to the work of Nanogirl, Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris – their friendly and fun interpretation of how to respond is top quality.
My favourite so far is the cartoon strip demonstrating alternative ways of greeting each other. It's a hard habit to break – reaching in for a kiss on the cheek, handshake or hongi is natural.
@SharonBell nailed it on Twitter: "Yesterday morning I decided to be sensible and stop touching people when I greet them. Yesterday afternoon I proceeded to hug, kiss or shake hands with every random at a social event."
But our Prime Minister has made the "East Coast wave" infamous internationally as @lightyourfire described: "Jacinda Ardern's official advice to avoid handshakes is to do what's known as a 'sup' nod where you kind of tilt your chins up at each other while raising your eyebrows slightly, this ***s all over the elbow bump and allows this country to continue to run like a Taika Waititi movie."
So far it seems most of my network of family, friends and neighbours seem to be to taking it seriously. But I feel it – this social pressure not to overreact and feel silly or uncool versus not doing enough and feeling guilty. However, there is no shortage of information coming at us from countries like Italy that mean taking this seriously is clearly the right thing to do.
As @kcolbin said "Here is the thing to understand about flattening the curve. It only works if we take necessary measures before they seem necessary. And if it works, people will think we over-reacted. We have to be willing to look like we over-reacted."
In time this strain of virus may become "just another flu", but we need to get through this initial extended period without overwhelming our hospitals, so we can still care for all those in need, whether it is someone struggling to breath from the flu or who's suffered a stroke, a child with a heart condition or someone in a car accident.
We need to get through to a vaccine being available before we throw our immuno-compromised mates and elderly under the bus. We are not just doing this for ourselves but for those around us who are more vulnerable.
One positive thing is how grateful we are becoming for those on the frontline.
As @lisettesplace said on Twitter: "My family is worried about me working as a nurse. I don't know how to break it to them about the numerous TB, HIV, whooping cough, herpes, meningitis, hepatitis positive patients I have looked after in the last 20 years. Suddenly people are realising what we do."
Another positive is to profile social enterprise solutions like www.smartass.co.nz toilet paper delivery to your door – no plastic wrapping and using fast-growing bamboo instead of trees.
It's a small counter-weight to valid concerns raised around the likelihood of "disaster capitalism".
Naomi Klein was interviewed about it: "the way private industries spring up to directly profit from large-scale crises. Disaster profiteering and war profiteering isn't a new concept, but it really deepened… after 9/11, when the administration declared this sort of never-ending security crisis, and simultaneously privatised it and outsourced it."
What you need to know
In New Zealand, I think the Government's financial response this week has been a good start. I like the focus on self-employed rather than another big business bailout.
To finish with a quote from American writer Rebecca Solnit: "Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency."
•Nicola Patrick is a councillor at Horizons Regional Council, leads Thrive Whanganui, a social enterprise hub, is a Green Party member and has a science degree. A mum of two boys, this fortnightly column is her personal opinion.
