A year since New Zealand’s first Covid-19 lockdown was announced, what has changed?

Last year, on this very date Prime minister Jacinda Ardern had an announcement for New Zealand’s first lockdown.

The level 4 lockdown started at 11.59pm on 25 March 2020, two days after the prime minister's announcement, where non-essential businesses and schools were closed, the borders were already shut, which meant national or international travel came to a standstill.

That time New Zealanders were asked to stay home and save lives of people as the virus was spreading in the community. The virus was not to be taken lightly as it caused deaths.

After a year, the situation has changed in the sense that the country is more educated in terms of this virus but has the situation completely changed? Well, there is a lot of working that needs to be done on this side.

It is true New Zealand has been one of the luckiest countries not to face threat like other countries of the world, but that comes with a condition. With only 26 deaths till date, there is no guarantee that this tricky virus can not return. Other places face threatening third wave and there is a surge in cases infected from Covid-19.

An example is the managed isolation worker at Auckland’s Grand Millennium hotel, who has been tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday i.e 22nd March 2021, it is said that the worker has already been given the first round of vaccine dose.

Something to learn from this and adapt quickly to certain things while we stay here in safe New Zealand is like wearing face masks, washing hands, maintaining social distancing, scanning covid tracer application etc. It is important for kiwis to realize that this will be the new normal for a while, at least till the virus decides to vanish.

Even though the government is doing its best by managing quarantine facilities and keeping the borders shut in general even after a year, it becomes our responsibility to prepare for the near future, even if the vaccine shield has already been injected in us.

The solution is not in panic buying of food, groceries, or toilet paper, but in finding home remedies or precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones from Covid-19.

One great example of this is Dr Sandhya Ramanathan, General Practitioner in Grey Lynn, Auckland, where she shared an eighteen-minute-long video of home medical management plan for treating mild COVID-19. Since then, has become a social media sensation and has gained popularity worldwide for her empowering work.

If these kinds of solutions have worked for people else where then why not in New Zealand? The question is, are people willing to look ahead of the blame game and depending on limited resources, burdening the medical system, or pressurising the government?  

It is not the time to panic but is to stand together as one force against this deadly pandemic called Covid-19. -Vritti Parasher

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