Today is Monday May 18^th. Kia ora katoa. It has been cold overnight, but it’s fine and sunny today. The days are slowing getting colder, in quite an orderly fashion – no sudden moves! I am moving from summer to winter in wearing long-sleeved tops, a jerkin or light sweater, and then putting on a warmer cardigan in the evening if I need to.  If I’m doing something active, like cooking, then, unsurprisingly, I’m much warmer. There is much more traffic noise and the sound of planes going overhead. This morning there is the sound of glass being collected by the WCC – a welcome relief, after several weeks of non-collection. On Saturday they emptied the recycling bin – as we found out quite by chance. This was a one-off to catch up, evidently.

This morning I learnt the following:

• Justin Amash has pulled out of the presidential race as a Libertarian candidate. I heard him interviewed on Bill Maher’s show, and boy, does he have some right-wing views. For example, he believes the US should have less government. Enough said.
• Some of Tara Reade’s reported actions make her claim of sexual harassment (what did she claim, exactly?) far less credible. I have tried to stay out of this issue, but US media have been rather obsessed with it.
• One-fifth of patients who entered NHS Hospitals for other issues contracted coronavirus.
• A chain of rest homes in the US weren’t following procedures.
• Yesterday a young child in New Zealand was diagnosed with Covid 19, being a contact of someone at the Rosewood Home in Christchurch. This is the first time in New Zealand that a child has contracted the infection. We hope that he won’t go on to become very ill as some children overseas have. New Zealand schools and Early Childhood Centres open again today.
• There was a photo of Andrew Cuomo being tested for Covid 19 – not because he has symptoms, but to show people it’s a good idea to be tested.
• Yesterday (Sunday) the US had over 90,000 deaths. If this were a war situation, someone’s head would surely have rolled, and questions asked: there would have been an investigation – was intelligence at fault? Was there an ambush? Did the guys and gals have the right equipment? How come these units didn’t strike first? Was the opposing force superior? Shouldn’t they have retreated? Sadly, none of these questions are relevant. Around 1700 people are dying each day, from coronavirus, in the US.

There is an article in the Guardian (UK) about how there is a lot of talk about kindness, even before this pandemic.  But, as it points out, we haven’t created kind societies! The article is entitled “We’re all keen to show we care, but we’ve shaped a society that doesn’t care at all”, by Sam Byers.

We used to have good worker protections here in New Zealand: your employer couldn’t fire you at will, shifts used to be three per day, breaks are guaranteed, as was paid holiday, sick and bereavement leave; there was also leave to attend to family needs and a maternity leave provision; and a guarantee that your position would be held for you for a year, following birth of a child. There were also stipulations such as having a letter of appointment, setting out your various entitlements. Teachers had built-in “non-contact time”.  Many of these provisions came in long after I held my first job. I always believed that if you proved your worth, your employer would treat you fairly.  Did some people take advantage of these provisions? Yes, of course. Were there still unfair situations? Yes, there were – viz. the “sleepover” non-payment where intellectually-challenged folk were being “looked after”. This has since been rectified, at considerable expense.

Unfortunately, the unions, some of them very strong, took advantage of this strength and were perceived as “holding the country to ransom” (remember the Cook Strait Ferry School Holiday strikes?) Now the unions have been neutered, many of them no longer exist, or have been seen as irrelevant. Workers now have individual (as opposed to Collective) contracts, which have seen their previous rights and entitlements steadily whittled away.

Some examples of this include the following:

• What to me seems the supreme evil of zero-hours contracts, where “employees” have to always be available, but there is no guarantee of paid hours (so how does one budget under these conditions?) Apparently since April 2016 these contracts have been illegal in New Zealand, and a guarantee of some hours work per week is required.
• Two daily shifts of ten or twelve hours – what does this do to childcare arrangements?
• Lack of breaks: when the Wellington Regional Council went to Metlink to run public transport in the Wellington area, all the previous (experienced) drivers were terminated, and drivers hired on the minimum hourly rate. They had the worthy aim of employing former convicts, but many of these people did not know the routes. Many too were over 70, causing them to be stood down in the early days of the pandemic. Many buses were late or missed when a by-law was passed requiring them to have regular breaks. I don’t remember anyone consulting me about all the changes, although I certainly gave them feedback when allowed to.
• When I left one senior position, my employed refused to put on morning tea or any farewell function (I had worked there full time for several years).
• Although in New Zealand each full-time employee is entitled to 4 weeks’ annual paid leave, many employers require this to be taken at Christmastime, in the year that it’s due, making it difficult to accumulate paid leave entitlements for a planned overseas trip.
• The US does not have a maternity leave entitlement. Some states refuse to increase the minimum hourly rate of pay.
• Bullying did, and still does, occur.
• In the UK, years of “austerity” have seen social facilities steadily reduced or cancelled altogether – teenager drop-in centres, libraries, benefits have been reduced and got harder to get, as they have here.

You just get the feeling that everything has got harder for poor people, while the rich have become richer. In the US millions have lost their jobs, and consequently any employer-related health insurance scheme. They get little, if any, leave of any kind.

Surely there can be a “happy medium”, a meeting of minds, a negotiation, where compromises are made but where worker’s (i.e. people’s rights) are respected. Surely everything works better, and people are more productive, when there is a happy and safe workplace.

Surely there can be a “happy medium”, a meeting of minds, a negotiation, where compromises are made but where worker’s (i.e. people’s rights) are respected.

Since this pandemic has shut the world down (and it’s not haemorrhagic fever or typhoid or cholera, by the way), it seems right to take a moment to reflect on what kind of society we would like to be, and to change course (some more!). The Christchurch earthquake of February 2011 also provided such a moment – how would you like our city to be?

There is a chance not to go back to the “same old”.  Surely most of us want all workers to be fairly treated, and to feel safe at work, as well as at home. Surely we don’t want cruised ships visiting?  Ah, that’s a thorny one! Cruises have become so popular. But they are floating petri-dishes for infection – we have seen how norovirus has spread though some cruise ships with alacrity. Their air-conditioning units are thought to have been very effective in spreading coronavirus infections on board. They have some strange regulations on board, in terms of accessing medical care, punishment of crimes, and safety; crew members receive minimal pay and live in huddled conditions, yet must always appear cheerful  and smiling and well-groomed. And – perhaps the biggest and most important question of all – where exactly does their extensive waste go? Don’t ask, is the response I’ve received. Into the sea, of course.

While cruise ships provide employment, and visits may be good for the local economy (although just how good is up for debate, too, since the cruise lines control tours on land), the cruise lines have accepted bail out money in the US, yet failed to protect their staff, some of whom still can’t alight, and whose pay has been stopped. How is this fair?

It has been fascinating to see how the effects of this pandemic intensified. First they couldn’t disgorge their passengers (no one wanted them), and this “luxurious” life rapidly descended into a nightmare, where passengers were confined to their rooms: no sight-seeing, swimming, walking around, or other activities on board , no fancy restaurants, and a dodgy Wi-Fi signal. The “trip of a lifetime” became the “trip from hell”, a horror-story, where some wished they had stayed at home. Pity the folk who had chosen to make their home on board. Cruise ship stops brought several coronavirus cases to NZ, even after flights from overseas had been curtailed. Some of us don’t want them back.

New Zealand is taking “baby steps” into Coronavirus level 2. It seems many share the view that we don’t want to sacrifice the gains we’ve made, especially as we see other countries (Germany, South Korea) withdrawing freedoms they had allowed. There are new cases in China, too. “Why we’re free but staying at home”, reads a story in this morning’s newspaper. I remind myself, often, that there are very few new cases of Covid 19 diagnosed here, and testing is freely available, yet yesterday we had our first case of a child with the virus, and children go back to school today. This disease is still scary.

This morning Jane Bowron suggested (by way of her column in the newspaper – My plan for safer funerals) that funerals be by invitation, as weddings are, so that you retain some control of the numbers. This would imply that someone manages this, ensuring that people know, and that perhaps there’s some discretion over people who turn up unexpectedly. She also refers to the current notion of “celebrating” a person’s life. With respect, I’d like folk to give thanks for mine.

Another story suggests it’s “A long way back to normality”.  This includes the need to allow more space for folk to work, eat and play. We know that some restaurants would not be viable without having tables uncomfortably close together; on the other hand, many of us prefer places that aren’t crowded, and where there isn’t loud music playing, and where you can sit on a proper chair (not a bench, a high stool, or a bean-bag). One hopes that the practice of “hot-desking” will become a thing of the past, that buses won’t be crowded (yeah, right!), and that any queuing will allow for respectful maintenance of distance, even in a bitterly cold wind, as must surely come here soon.

Things will be different, whether we want them to, or not. Every country’s economy has taken some kind of beating. It seems that everywhere societies are made up of people who want everything to be as it was before (really?) and those who fear for their loved ones’ and their own lives, who want to be careful about health and safety before going back to work. They are torn between wanting to provide, and get back to some kind of normality, and fearing crowds (public transport, customers) if they do. In the US, some health workers have moved out of their homes so as not to put their loved ones (many of whom have immune-compromised health) at risk. Thankfully, and hopefully, such risk assessment is rare here in New Zealand. One hopes that everyone feels safe at work, and at home. Tonight I saw a New Zealand doctor talking to Dr John Campbell in England, about just how scared the medical profession was of treating rapidly growing numbers of sick people, before the lock down was started here.

In New Zealand, there are no new cases of Covid 19 today. The total remains at 1,499. Two people are in hospital, and there have been no further deaths. The move to level 3 did not result in any unexpected or community cases. On Wednesday the Prime Minister will speak about an application that will keep track of contacts, for an individual. There will be no “Big brother” type of ap that will track contacts centrally.  There is still concern about the maximum of 10 people at any church service or “gathering”, and this will be addressed next week. The Prime Minister has announced a pay increase for early childhood teachers, as part of this year’s Budget provisions.  They seek to ensure again that all early childhood teachers are qualified professionals, as the previous Labour Government did. There have been fewer daily breaches at the move to level 2 than at level 3.

Late tonight the figures are as follows: the US has 1,527,951 infections, and there have been 90,980 deaths from Covid 19.  In the UK, the figures are 243,695 infections and 34,636 deaths (their daily death rate is now falling, as it has in parts of Europe). The US still looks like leading the world in this race, although Russia now has 290,678 cases on infection, and these are growing rapidly.

So, it is all very sad indeed. But here, in New Zealand, we can feel grateful and proud. My eldest grandson had a great day back at school today. We have much to be thankful for. Nga mihi nui.

Today is Sunday May 17^th. Kia ora katoa

Well, it’s official. Many folk are reluctant to embrace their new “freedom”.

On Friday we went to the Johnsonville Shopping Centre, which was quite busy. On the radio someone was griping that the budget hadn’t given the group they represented enough funds. I guess I would regard that as par for the course. I then joked that the mental health of recluses should be considered too. In addition to “lockdown blues” and people going stir-crazy, which obviously had to be taken seriously, we should now consider the real issue of some loners finding it very hard to be sociable again, and to contend with all the everyday grievances, such as advertising, travel brochures, drinking, over-charging for walking in the bush, traffic noise, going to shopping malls, consumerism, over-the-top lavish expenditure, and suchlike – re-joining the “rat race”. While there is joy and relief at there being no new coronavirus cases, there is real grief at some aspects of “everyday life” coming back into play.

I think many of us hoped, and still hope, that the future will be different: that our government will seize this moment to say less excess, everyone has the right to have a safe and warm home and enough to eat, with access to health care; that we all respect this planet and this country and want it to be a safe place for our children and grandchildren, where the water is safe to drink, and there is less reliance on dairy farming, and more on organic farming, and use of natural products; that all schools should be successful, including the one down the road, whatever that school may be. Parents’ voices have a right to be heard!

I gather that some overseas companies see New Zealand as an opportunity for doing business. Let’s hope that New Zealand values are enforced: that all staff members are paid a living wage, that all staff are fairly and reasonably treated, that staff cannot be fired at will, that the environment is reasonably treated, that we are not American or Australian and we don’t have to rush about all the time. We have learnt to slow down and enjoy birdsong; to be grateful that we live in a peaceful society, that our government wants to protect us: it seems that as in many places there is much good here, and an evil element too. Let us hope that good and true kindness prevails. Why do I say this? Many claim to be kind, that kindness is really important, yet display some very unkind acts. This I find strange and disturbing. While I may not agree with certain views, I believe all human life is a gift, and all lives matter.  Old people matter. Coloured people matter. Gay people matter. All people are “regular folk”.

So who is now feeling blue? From today’s Sunday Star Times, Alison Mau writes “Apparently lock-down release anxiety is actually a thing, which is good to know, because I have it”. She’s not alone.  A mother has written about the relief of not having (choosing?) to ferry several children round to their various after-school activities.  This can be a real tie, as I know from experience. My own children did many activities, mostly by choice, which I was anxious to encourage – I don’t regret for one moment their involvement in music (two instruments!), singing, orchestras, chamber groups, and playing sport. If they could walk to an activity, then so much the better. I confess I didn’t go to all their sports games, but I went to their music activities wherever possible. Many of these enriching activities would not have been possible during the recent lockdown.

We also enjoyed summer breaks, and I hope my children remember the various picnics, hikes, and exploring sessions we enjoyed. My preference was to find a stream, with some shade, so that the location would cater for different age groups, and not be too hot and sunny for whoever was the baby. Those were the days! But music enriched our lives. I joked that we would have a quartet, if they were all at home at once, which became unusual.

Others have found the enforced seclusion not so bad, including some family members; while we have all missed our families, it has been good to have video calls sometimes. Two sons are overseas, anyway, so we don’t see much of them. While I have missed some foods, you can get used to going without, and we have watched some great movies on our TV and read some great books. People I know have read Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”, or Hilary Mantel’s “The Mirror and the Light”, while I have been reading “Stalingrad” (not the Antony Beevor one, the Vasily Grossman one, translated from the Russian). It’s a great book, I thoroughly recommend it. It has helpful guides at the back like a key to the confusing Russian names, maps, and a historical timeline.

Others like comedian Trevor Noah have found that this restful period suited them.  Many have found a certain release in not needing to get ones’ hair done, or wear makeup, or buy new clothes. Those of us fortunate enough to enjoy the peace and quiet of course rejoice in the fact that we have enough food to eat, the weather has been kind here, we don’t live in crowded conditions, or in institutions, and we’re not desperate financially. Not being ill is a blessing, too. This morning I listened to Michael Moore’s podcast talking to Roger Waters (from Pink Floyd), and he is finding confinement quite all right with him. What an interesting podcast! But I digress.

So, kicking and screaming, or quietly tut-tutting under our breath, we re-join the rest of the human race, stuck here in Aotearoa – frankly, there’s nowhere I’d rather be, even if I have to put up with more planes going overhead now. At least we can be free from fear, or fear of coronavirus, anyway. There is a great deal to be thankful for.

My thoughts for Sunday. No stats. Nga mihi nui.

Today is Friday May 15^th. Kia ora katoa.

We are now in level 2, officially from midnight on Wednesday New Zealand went into level 2. Strangely, although it offers much more freedom, there was more excitement about going from level 4 to level 3, two weeks ago.

For two days we had no new cases of Covid 19, and then the one we have today is one of the Marist College cluster that was a probable now confirmed, I think – I guess we’re just not worrying nearly as much now, seeing there are so few new cases, and none that are not linked to an existing cluster or to travel from overseas. There have been no new deaths, either, or anyone in Intensive Care, so we can afford to be very proud and thankful.

It’s been odd, really. By now many of us are used to slowing right down. The first thing you notice is the noise – aeroplanes flying overhead, earth-movers, traffic, some really loud machines – weed eaters, perhaps? In between it is quiet. I went shopping at our local supermarket on Wednesday and again today, and it’s nice to be so much more relaxed, while maintaining a level of social distancing. There are far fewer masks being worn around here.  You can buy just about anything again now, there are few, if any, shortages.

This morning we ventured to the Johnsonville Shopping Centre (sad, I know). There were several people there, but some shops still closed. There seems to be some confusion about opening stores and cafés again.  We went to Whitcoulls where I bought the new Hilary Mantel book. Although it’s such a large tome, the price was very reasonable, and although I didn’t have my Whitcoulls card on me, they looked it up for me and credited me with some points.

Yesterday we had our Wellington family over for afternoon tea, where we had a birthday party for my eldest granddaughter. Locally, there were ten of us, so it was quite legitimate, and very special to get together again – see the new baby, get out some new toys…How lovely to see them all, and how thankful we are to be here, again.  All the men are pretty keen to get haircuts again.

In the morning I had singing via zoom. It really works quite well, and it’s lovely to get together again, even if it is always tricky setting up zoom! I think I’ve got the hang of it, but it’s always a bit different. It’s always good to sing, especially when no one can hear you! Having said that, I do miss singing in a group, I’m not so great on my own.

At level 2 community centres can’t reopen yet, so we can’t join together to sing in the hall yet, as we used to.  Some libraries are open again, and some cinemas. I am anxiously looking forward to newsletters telling me what they’re doing again, as things get up and running again. Hohepa says we’re welcome to come and see our daughter, but we’re a bit nervous about all the interactions along the way – eating somewhere, staying in a motel, going out in Napier…we’re looking forward to it, but it now seems a bit unfortunate that she’s so far away.

There are stories about older folk losing condition, throughout the lockdown, and I fear I have too, but I do feel it’s better than getting this disease, and we will be able to resume most activities again, I hope. I trust I can be a bit more content with life in the slower lane, now.

Yesterday the budget came out, with its focus on jobs, and it seems to have met with fairly wide approval; or not downright condemnation, anyway. I would like to see more done about childhood poverty, but I guess if there’s a focus on jobs, and more houses built, and more money for District Health Boards, then that will help everyone’s well-being.

So, all in all, things are good here, as we head back into a new reality, where jobs around the house must be done, and we need to make plans and set goals, again. I have realised, with sadness, that overseas travel is off-limits for some time; my mother-in-law’s funeral in October 2018 was probably the last family get-together for some time to come.

Overseas, things don’t look great, Again, it seems that for whatever pain is being endured overseas, there is not much gain yet to show for it. Some collective madness seems to have taken hold in the US, where many folk seem to have a death wish of sorts – is it something in the air? Poisoned water? Poisoned food?  There are many people who do take this disease seriously, but it seems just like politics – polarisation is rife, everything is political…it is very sad for us to see that not only does the federal government have no plan, but Trump like a naughty, hyperactive child is deliberately encouraging unwise and foolish behaviour, as good people get moved out of the way.

The UK is not much better, although they have a different set of problems. In Russia the rising number of cases is causing concern, and many medical staff are sick themselves; in St Petersburg five patients on ventilators died during a recent fire; there was a suggestion that one of the ventilators had overheated. Meanwhile, Putin is opening things up again.

One gets the feeling that human lives are expendable – especially if they’re not “regular folk”, but presumably at some stage you run out of people who are prepared to work closely together in meat processing plants, or clean houses, nurse sick people or care for the elderly….presumably once the illness and death rate reaches a certain level, there is financial pain to the well-off who rely on these services, or rest home owners and hospitals who rely on fee income? As has been pointed out, while prisons are potential grounds for infection, the people who work there go back home to their families and communities after their shifts.  It is very hard to see what kind of normalcy may return. It’s generally accepted that this novel coronavirus will probably be around for some time to come.  Of course, for many, they will have to go back to work for their weekly pay packet, no matter how unsafe they may feel – they don’t have the “luxury” of taking sick leave, paid or unpaid.

This morning I didn’t write down the totals as I usually d. I’ll do that tomorrow.

Tonight we had a nice chat with our son in the UK.

Nga mihi nui.

Today is Tuesday, May 12^th. Kia kaha!

This morning the news is a bit unsettling.  Soon after I awake I hear the sound of earthworks, and a plane flying overhead. 

Overseas, there seems to be a general acceptance that the novel coronavirus will be around for some time to come, and that the consequences, fear, illness and death, will be around too. In the US evidently Trump has handed control over development of a vaccine to Big Pharma, (and there’s no rush, now), but I am reminded that there is still no vaccine for malaria, dengue fever, and HIV-Aids, despite all the progress that has been made. Now, wonderful as this progress has been, we have the anti-vaxx brigade to deal with. 

It seems people have very short memories these days – the Great Depression is not the depression of the 1930’s, which helped give rise to the fascist governments of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, and World War II, but the Global Financial Crisis (the GFC) of 2008; most people certainly don’t remember those crippling childhood diseases, (such as diphtheria, whooping cough, and polio) where children were likely to die, or be weakened or crippled for life. Their parents and older siblings were at risk of contracting tuberculosis, then, in pre-vaccine, pre-antibiotic days, usually fatal.  And it seems there is little memory of World War II. The Great War (World War I), the Great Depression, and World War II were uppermost in the minds of my parents and many of their family and acquaintances, and these events were reflected in much of the literature I read. I guess different events leave their mark on different generations, in different ways.

There is also an acceptance overseas, that while Trump and his administration have no plan at all as to how to manage the novel coronavirus, people need to get “back to work” and back to “everyday” activities, despite their fears. Most people cannot live without sport, whether playing it or watching it. Everyone (here too, in New Zealand) has had quite enough of restrictions.  It seems few of us are grateful that our suffering here has been paltry compared to that overseas, although there is a nice letter in this morning’s newspaper commending Jacinda Ardern for her government’s handling of this crisis.  I personally think we all owe her a debt of gratitude, especially after watching videos and figures from overseas.  The letter in this morning’s paper also points out the dire situation we could have been in by now, if there had been little control displayed. When the level 4 lockdown was put in place, although the borders had been closed, we had passengers flying in to “self-quarantine”, cruise ships still stopping at various ports, and covid-19 cases’ family and friends not isolated in a safe isolation; it was also very difficult to get tested for Covid 19, although there were already several clusters of infection. There was a general air of frustration and desperation here: you were either being reckless or ultra-cautious, and you could be ridiculed for actions indicating either stance, rather than being respected for making a decision that potentially respected the safety of oneself and one’s family.

So, there is relief here, but overseas people are very “antsy”, and some are fearful, too. It must be pointed out though, that all your economies are sick too, some far more than others, as international travel has virtually stopped, tourism has stopped, eating out and entertainment and the consequent services have stopped, and demand for manufactured goods and services has greatly fallen. There is, of course, a growing demand for PPE – masks, gloves, and other protective equipment.  The worlds’ economies are, one hopes, having a “rethink” about these activities people are so anxious to get back to.  While there are always some with a greater appetite for risk than others, think about who you may pass disease on to, and who will look after you, if you get sick? The best way to show your appreciation, of everyone and anyone, is to stay well.

The figures early this afternoon are as follows: the US has 1,385,834 cases of Covid 19 infection, and 81,795 (almost 82,000) deaths. The UK has 223,060 cases of infection, and 32,065 deaths. Neither nation has a method to manage this crisis.

In New Zealand, there are no new cases of Covid 19 today. The Prime Minister explains more about re-opening most venues, at midnight tomorrow, while still limiting gatherings such as weddings and funerals or family groups to ten people. She explains that, while it is hard, the rationale is that at gatherings, especially funerals, we want to hug and embrace people, and to comfort each other. While that remains risky, numbers are limited, while we’re in Level 2.

I look forward to hearing from my local medical centre, and my singing groups and Tai Chi tutors, as to how and when we may meet again. It will be quite a change, to go to things, and use public transport, and cafés again. The old dilemma recurs – whether to buy books from a store here, or get them sent from the book depository (which is cheaper, with free shipping). In the meantime, I should finish reading “Stalingrad”. It is from the library, but it is quite a new copy, and I doubt it has been read by many other people. Goodness knows I don’t need any more books, but I should love to have my own copy.

I think New Zealanders should be encouraged to explore more of their own country, and for things that are chargeable, the fees should be more realistic for locals. We can grow plenty of food here, and anything we export should be attractive overseas, as coming from a relatively clean, green environment. Talking of that, we could and should clean up our environment, and provide more incentives for not relying on fossil fuels.  There is plenty that is attractive here, and New Zealand should be an inviting place for overseas students in the future. And, surely, we can address some very sad issues of homelessness and child poverty, or poverty at any level, and get back to being a more egalitarian society. This pandemic has reduced us to basic priorities – to stay alive, and to have enough to eat. Let’s maintain this kinder, gentler society.

Nga mihi nui

Today is Monday May 11^th. Kia ora katoa! Kia kaha!

Everything is starting to be noisier here. This morning I hear a plane go over. There is noise of rubbish collection, but then, you would expect that on a Monday.

I wonder about the weekend update from Hohepa, and get JD to forward it. For some reason, I didn’t receive it. Never mind, it is very good, as always. Under level 2 they are cautiously going to reopen the school and the workshops, but will not use public transport, or go to their usual activities; the shop will remain closed.

JD has a zoom meeting at 2:30 pm. He asks to borrow my PC. I have got used to some of the intricacies of zoom, however this requires me to run around finding passwords and then getting a code on my phone to be passed on. In the meantime, I read more of my Stalingrad book, and some old LRB’s – about Wuhan, the plague in Florence from 1629 – 1631, and the 2020 campaign for a Democratic nominee to the Presidency..

We are waiting for the Prime minister’s announcement at 4 pm as to whether New Zealand will go to level 2 on Thursday. Meantime, I listen to a podcast about the strange new silence. The author misses the sounds of activity, of traffic, of busy-ness. Meanwhile, I enjoy the peace and quiet, as I think many do here. We are grateful to have much less noise, so even the half-hourly empty bus that goes past is noticeable.

What else is news? The US death total has passed 80,000.  Trump has certainly made America First, in this race. The rest of us pity the US even more than previously. Trump urges states to re-open, even as their cases of infection are rising.  In the UK, Boris Johnson eases the lockdown, but causes huge confusion there and opposition elsewhere. Interestingly, he (or someone) has combed his hair for this announcement, so he looks more presentable than usual. Sadly, his announcement is met with scorn and derision.

Today, in New Zealand, there are three new cases, bringing the total to 1497. Two patients are in hospital, none in Intensive Care.

At 4 pm Jacinda Ardern gives a press briefing, along with Dr Bloomfield. She announces that New Zealand will move to level 2 on Thursday, but physical distancing is still required and strict attention to hygiene. Schools will reopen on 18 May, and bars on 21 May. On Thursday, shops, cinemas, gyms, and playgrounds can reopen.  So that’s huge, and I expect some re-thinking will be going on, as local authorities and others decide just how to open safely.

Gatherings of up to 10 (not 100) are permitted, but I think you’re still required (as always) to use your own discretion as regards safety, bearing in mind the potential attendees, and the venue. People can travel locally, again.

I imagine that cinemas, libraries, public transport, and caterers, to name a few, will be thinking about just how they can lure back their loyal customers, and assure them that they will be safe using their facilities again.

This afternoon we go for a walk to the local supermarket. While the “rules” are still in place, each day (we now shop daily again, instead of weekly), everyone seems much more relaxed, there are even more smiles, and fewer masks worn. On the way, I notice two red rosebuds, and I determine to pick them when we return. At the store, I buy raspberries, feijoas, and plums again! In May! There is also a new Economist available (just two copies). I buy one. I wonder what happened to the missing ones? I also buy a packet of face masks to send to my son in the UK.

I figure it’s a good thing if the lockdown is lifted before my asthma gets bad again, as it usually does in autumn, with consequent coughing and difficulty breathing. I wouldn’t want to alarm anyone with my symptoms!

In many countries now, there are infected workers in meat processing plants. This has turned out to be a very vulnerable area. In New Jersey, there have been 72 deaths at a Home for Veterans. Don’t these lives matter too? We also heard tonight that Vice-President Mike Pence will self-isolate “out of an abundance of caution”. Reading between the lines, one surmises that the White House is a very scary place to work right now.

The University of Washington has revised its model to predict 137,000 deaths from Covid 19 in the US by August 1^st. This figure has been revised upwards from May 4^th. The main reason for this projected increase is increased mobility, i.e. more states relaxing stay-at-home orders, and people moving within and between states, as well as a continuous increase in the numbers of people infected.

Late today, the figures for the US are as follows: 1,367,963  infections, and 80,787 deaths. For the UK, there have been 219,183 infections and 31,855 deaths. There is a story of Greek people getting their loved ones to return to Greece from England, on the grounds that they’d be safer in Greece. How right they were. They (and others) wonder at how the British have messed this crisis up so badly. Their death toll outstripped that of Italy some days ago, having already beaten those of Spain and France (which were initially, and remain, horrifying). Their respective priorities, Build that Wall, and Get Brexit Done, seem more than ever like vanity projects that faced significant opposition at home and abroad, and ignored other priorities. Both their supposed strengths have been subsumed in these ridiculous other crises, while their leaders, in spite of scientific and medical advice, continued to ignore the rising threat of this pandemic, to their economy, and their people. Now they do know, but mismanagement and chaos continue.

Rising cases in Russia cause concern (they are close to coming second to the US  in the world for infections), although their deaths have yet to catch up; the rate of death amongst the numbers infected is different from country to country, e.g. 6.5 % in the US, and 15% in the UK.  And also, the UK ordered a large number of gowns from Turkey, and they’re no use. Figures in Brazil also cause concern – 162,699 infected and 11,123 deaths; and Belgium has 53,449 infections and 8,707 deaths. Food for thought.

I reiterate how fortunate we have been in New Zealand to have kept the coronavirus totals so low, and to be in a position to gradually open things up again. I do hope we don’t get a second wave here, although I fear as travel becomes more common again, that the course of this virus will be very hard to manage. I hope that is still some way off, and that there’ll be much less of it.

Tonight we watched Tea With the Dames on Maori Television, with a wonderful clip of Dame Judi Dench in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and the final episode of Normal People.  The music for today is a song from that play, “Where the Bee sucks”.

I’ll be back again tomorrow.  Nga mihi nui.

Prospero says, The Tempest, Act IV, Scene 1:

You do look, my son, in a moved sort,
As if you were dismay’d: be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and

Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp’d towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Ye all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. 

Today is Sunday, May 10^th.

It is Mothers’ Day. While I don’t agree with the commercialisation of Mother’s Day, there was certainly something rather strange about this one. JD wished me a Happy Mothers’ Day, and my daughter rang from Hohepa to wish me well (she sent a letter, too), none of my four sons did so. Three of them are married, and three of them have children. I doubt that my daughters-in-law forgot their own mothers. So this feels very strange. As I grew older, and became unable to work, these anniversaries began to seem much more important than they used to. I always used to be busy. Now I have much more time to brood.

The day was odd in other ways, too. I did the washing, hung some things up, and put others in the drier. I went shopping, and bought some fresh bread (it was almost all gone), an avocado (a treat at $3.99 each), and some chocolates. Then I made a sandwich for lunch, put the sandwich things away, prepared dinner, cleared that away. I prepared my own breakfast, too. As I said goodnight, my husband said Thanks for a good day. For whom, I wonder?

Which lives matter?

I listened to a number of podcasts during the day. Most of them concerned an interesting question in these times – Just which lives matter? The rest concern the shock of Michael Flynn’s turnaround. There are outlines of what happened, in legal terms; but it seems to come down to the fact that he lied to the FBI, about his conversation with Sergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the US, about the sanctions imposed by President Obama for Russia’s interference in the US presidential election.  He also acted for Turkey, when this was illegal. So why did he lie about these things?

There are continued reports about meat processing plants, having diagnosed cases of Covid 19, and now some deaths. A female judge was heard saying “But they aren’t regular folk”! This tells you a lot about American attitudes to those they consider beneath them, or sub-human..

I listen to a podcast about Amazon reminding me how mean Jeff Bezos continues to be. I’m reminded personally when I can’t read interesting articles in the Washington Post. I knew that working conditions in Amazon warehouses are very poor, with staff working very hard, very long hours at minimum wage, and discouraged from taking bathroom breaks. The customer has an amazingly good experience, with the purchasing website being easy to use, and items being well packed and delivered on time. Staff are discouraged from joining a union, and from speaking out about climate change fears, or Covid 19 fears. Some warehouse staff have tested positive for Covid 19, but others have not been informed, although they work huddled together. Staff aren’t even permitted to take leave without pay; staff working in warehouses don’t have their health insurance paid by their employer, and they don’t have paid sick leave.  This sounds truly dreadful, and it’s not as if the richest man in the world can’t afford to be kinder to his staff. The techies live in a different world, of course, with better pay and more employee perks.

Jeff Bezos, who could be a leader, both as an employer, and in terms of climate change, chooses not to. The banner for the Washington Post reads “Democracy Dies in Darkness”. It sounds nice, but what does that even mean?

I read this morning that South Korea has chosen to close 2,100 bars and clubs, owing to a new outbreak of Covid 19.

I am rereading Barbara Tuchman’s “A Distant Mirror”. Sadly, it seems that those who survived the Back Death did not go on to be model citizens. Although there’d been examples of great kindness and self-lessness shown, the survivors for the most part demonstrated some of the worst aspects of humanity. Nevertheless, those who survived to tell the tale are our ancestors. There was a lot of talk of a “miasma”, of stale and fetid air potentially carrying the disease.  It’s interesting nowadays that while this virus is probably airborne, falling rates of pollution have shown the true beauty of places like Delhi, and we have marvelled at photos of Venice and St Peter’s in Rome without the tourists.

I listen to another podcast talking about the Biblical plagues of Egypt (refer yesterday’s hornets and locusts).  It’s pointed out that Trump could have made big money by getting masks made in read, like his MAGA hats in China. He’s chosen not to, or perhaps he hasn’t thought of this. In the US, Trump seems to have given up on the rush to a vaccine. Meanwhile, in the US, Asian-Americans are in the receiving end of anti-Chinese sentiment. Meanwhile, the heads of the CDC and the FDA and Dr Fauci are in self-quarantine after being exposed to someone who tested positive for Covid 19. That is very scary; these folk, although limited in their ability to speak, are highly valued.

Today I have not followed any of the statistics, either here or in the US or UK, as I usually do. I believe there are two new cases of coronavirus here.

The headlines shriek about the arrogance of Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Government, while some are saying we should not go to level 2. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

Meanwhile, we are learning more about the potentially horrific effects of Covid 19, from the long recovery time, and perhaps you will never recover your previous strength and stamina; to the deaths of some children, with different but dreadful symptoms; and to the effects on those who spent time on a ventilator.

I have had some personal experience of this. I was in a coma for several days; was kept anaesthetised; had various surgeries, some unsuccessful; and, eventually was awake more than I was asleep. During that time I had all kinds of dreams, not of being attacked, but back to a world of my childhood. I also had flashes of reality – the swelling of a blood pressure cuff, having my mouth swabbed for thrush, being hoisted onto a bedpan, wondering why I wasn’t consulted about whatever was being done to me. I just wanted to escape into the new dream world that had become my reality. I dreamt one night that I had short-term memory loss, and I thought this was something I should hide from everyone.

When I came around, although this took some time, and there wasn’t a Eureka moment, I couldn’t really do anything: I couldn’t speak, couldn’t swallow, had to ingest pureed food and thickened water (which I loathed), couldn’t move – even to pick up something which had dropped, or to put another blanket over me. I was always cold, and I threw up, spontaneously. I couldn’t sit up, either: after my shower each morning, I was supposed to sit in a chair for a while. I learnt after a while to ask the nurse to leave the call button and blankets within reach. I would try to “sit up” for an hour, before collapsing back into bed in some discomfort. I grew tired of doing the quite easy Dom Post crossword. I had bad double vision. This became easier to manage after a nurse brought me an eye patch.

Things could only get better from here.  But there was enormous distress. Nobody understood what had happened to me, much less me. Counselling? Forget about it. Your entire life has just changed. You’re still alive! Life can be very difficult.  One of the difficulties is that no one knows how long recovery will take, or to what extent one will recover. I learnt, after some time, that medical people don’t know how you feel: they can say you have “balance issues”, or chronic fatigue, or some extent of double vision, but everything varies, and many things aren’t visible, for example, the sometimes constant nausea, the weariness, being too tired to speak or read, the fact that one’s mind is racing, much of the time, while my body, sadly, says No!

I miss feeling grounded, as I used to, no matter how tired I was. My head feels “weird” much of the time. I have described three aspects of this: my head feels like a balloon on a string, my body feels like a ship at sea, and then there’s the vertigo, which generally occurs if I roll over in bed or look or reach up, or down.  I also feel like one of those balls with things rattling around, randomly, insde them.

When Chris Cuomo says that this disease “messes with your head”, I can understand what he means, but he wasn’t hospitalised with breathing problems.  I see staff rejoicing and clapping when a Covid 19 patient leaves a hospital, but for this fortunate person, the journey is just beginning. I remember when I saw a documentary about the Boston Marathon bombings, and the dreadful injuries caused there, that some “victims” accepted what had happened to them far better than others, who have ongoing grief and pain, and regret for the lives they used to lead. I realised then that I, too, had PTSD. Panic attacks, delirium and depression are commonly suffered, too.

I understand, and sympathise, with the pain some are enduring. While you are glad to be alive, it is hard to adjust to a new normality, especially when normal expectations are not met. Most people’s financial situation becomes much worse during such a crisis. Others don’t necessarily recognise what you’ve been through, and how hard it can be to adjust. Everyone wants you to be as you were before!  And, of course, you do, too, more than anything!  But there is hidden trauma, that no one else really understands.

Well, it’s been good to write about that. What strange things come to mind, during this strange and interesting time. It is good that nothing much is required of me, at this time. I am still enjoying the “Stalingrad” book. That, too, seems very prescient, seeing as the Russian people lived through a time of great crisis.

What music is special today? More Chopin, I think – his Piano Concerto No.2.

Nga mihi nui

Today is Saturday May 9^th. Again it is fine, after a beautiful day yesterday, but a very cold night. Winter is definitely coming, but we appreciate the sunshine, especially as Vitamin D is so good for us.

This morning I learn the following:

• One of Mike Pence’s aides has been diagnosed positive with Covid 19. (Yesterday it was one of Trump’s aides. Pence’s aide is Stephen Miller’s wife).
• A meat processing plant in Germany has been affected by Covid 19, causing Angela Merkel to pull back on some of the relaxations.
• Hornets are causing problems in the US, decapitating bees, which play a vital role in pollination.  In Japan the bees have found a way to fight back against this enemy, but it continues to cause damage in the US.
• Another, second, plague of locusts is threatening crops and devastation in Africa.

The newspaper does a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. Today, most stories and letters are upbeat about New Zealand’s progress against Covid 19, which has been severe, but warranted.  After all, economies the world over have been severely impacted by various kinds of lock down, whether or not they were also dealing with many cases of illness and death. One letter suggests Dr Bloomfield should receive a knighthood: “Arise, Sir Ashley”, the headline reads. Another article calls for respect for the Covid 19 deaths, 21 so far, pointing out that these probably would not have happened, and not in such circumstances, were it not for the pandemic. While New Zealand’s death toll is thankfully low, these people were all special to family members and friends, who would like to have been able to mourn their passing in a more friendly way.

Businesses are upbeat about reopening, safely, and working out just how they do that. Sport has taken a beating, as it would in any crisis, and surely this has been a big and unforeseen crisis.

There are two new cases of Covid 19 here today, but one is a “probable”, now confirmed, so that adds just one to the total, now 1490. The confirmed case is linked to an existing cluster. There are three patients in hospital, none in Intensive Care. Four clusters have been closed.  There is a nice video on 7 Sharp about “Laura’s Cinema”, virtual, of course.

In the afternoon we go for a walk, and, surprisingly, queue up to go shopping. It’s as though the All Blacks are playing somewhere!  I then realise it’s Mother’s Day tomorrow.

The 11 am figures are as follows: the US has 1,321,785 infected, and 78,615 deaths. The UK has 211,364 cases of infection, and (officially) 31,421 deaths. The US total represents a death rate of 6%, the UK one of 15%.  A steep rise in the cases in Russia is causing concern, now 187,859. Sweden has a 12% death rate. The jury is still out over whether Sweden’s much more relaxed approach to the virus has been a good thing or not. Evidently the US, far from trying to get testing accurate and widespread, has now abandoned it in many areas, as more governors urge businesses to re-open. CDC guidelines are being ignored. Contact tracing, earlier strongly encouraged, would be little use now since people can go to so many places, whereas here in New Zealand one can remember where one went and what one did – contact tracing should be relatively straight forward.

Yesterday I found my copy of Barbara Tuchman’s 1978 book, “A Distant Mirror – The Calamitous 14^th Century”, and I’m determined to reread the whole thing. I went first to her chapter on the Black Death, and it makes very ominous reading. It does seem to have been much more severe than Covid 19, but it wiped out huge numbers of people, and in some places society broke down – the norms of “essential services” such as sanitation and collection of bodies stopped happening.  It was devastating. In this disaster, poor people tended to fare worse, but this disease affected all people very badly. Somehow, all our forebears survived!  We are thankful here in New Zealand that Maori and pacific people have not, to date, suffered worse.  I wonder how Aboriginal people in Australia are getting on.

Last night we spoke to our son in the UK. He looks and sounds very well. They cannot get masks there, so we will send some, now we that can post things. This morning, my daughter ran, and we had a lovely letter and drawings from her.

The music today is one of Chopin’s Nocturnes, the Nocturne in B-Flat Minor, OP 9, No. 1.

Nga mihi nui.

Today is Friday May 8^th. Kia ora katoa! Kia kaha. It is a lovely fine day, and it’s one of my granddaughters’ 5^th birthday.

The knives are out. No one (well, hardly anyone) is satisfied with the government’s swift actions. There is talk of human rights violations, and of suing Dr Bloomfield.  This morning’s newspaper content reminds me of how previously I sought to avoid New Zealand politics. So what does level 2 mean, exactly? I think it means use your common sense. Think about your loved ones, family and friends. Be respectful to other people.  If you get sick, of anything, who will look after you? Whom will you pass an infectious disease on to? What makes sense, in the new environment? Many of us have always been cautious. Under level 2, it makes good sense to be extra cautious.

The points that strike me first this morning are the following:

• Michael Flynn’s case is to be lifted by the US Department of Justice (he admitted lying to the FBI).  This continues to cause huge shockwaves.
• One of Trump’s aides has tested positive for Covid 19.
• In Russia the oligarchs are taking over.
• The official line is now that the US numbers of deaths and infections have been overstated.
• China reports that Covid 19 has been found in the semen of infected men.

I listen to Dr John’s daily briefing before my phone conks out (I have been having trouble charging it, lately, and, when charged, it doesn’t last long). He makes the point that, regardless of socio-economic conditions, black people and ethnic minorities are four times more likely to die of this virus than white people.  There is a formal report (ONS) on this issue.

There is still no vaccine, no reliable antibody tests, no effective treatment for the coronavirus. Some otherwise fit and healthy people become very ill and die. If you have trouble breathing, and are put on a ventilator, the odds of recovery are not great – about 9/10 don’t recover. It looks as though it will be around for a long time – perhaps always. Even if New Zealand largely eliminates it, it will still be overseas, probably prevalent in some countries.

It seems to me that during wartime (and this is a war, albeit against an unseen, persistent and pernicious enemy), you have to accept some privations. Many see their military sons and daughters go far away, leaving behind parents, spouses, children and other loved ones, only to die alone overseas, whether by enemy of friendly fire. During World War 2 many English children were evacuated: how terrifying must that have been, for parents, children, and their (sometimes reluctant) hosts? They also endured rationing, which persisted until well after the war. Privations such as power outages continued for some time, while enemy countries such as Germany and Japan, and allies such as the US, and Australia and New Zealand, enjoyed financial success and rebuilt their economies. Victory came at a very heavy price for the United Kingdom.

What we have endured here is nothing compared to those privations. It has been hard, but to have all but eliminated the virus seems a big achievement, when other countries are accepting that they will have some deaths, many sick people, as well as a devastated economy. Whichever way you turn, easing up or imposing more stringent regulations, most nations have to accept Covid 19 affecting some if not many of its people, and the subsequent heavy demand on whatever health services they have, and consequent deaths.

Last night I read about Barbara Tuchman’s book about the 14^th century, “A Distant Mirror”. I have read this book, but dismissed it as being somewhat ancient history. It now seems incredibly relevant. Lawrence Wright, author of The Looming Tower, has also written a novel about a pandemic: “The End of October”. It seems very timely now, although it was researched and written before Covid 19 took hold.

It also strikes me that a crisis brings out the best in many people, showing an amazing degree of kindness and selflessness, but it has also brought out the worst in some. That would include:

• Financial bailouts  for cruise lines, airlines and other examples of big business, from money that is supposed to help people in real need;
• In Russia and in Italy the oligarchs and the Mafia have taken advantage of this crisis situation.
• Increased domestic violence in many countries.
• Mental health issues, especially anxieties and obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Difficulty in handling naturally occurring traumatic situations, such as death or divorce.
• Many support networks for older and more vulnerable people unable to operate as they used to.
• Elimination of democratic principles and intrusions into one’s privacy to monitor health of individuals and societies. I will have more to say about this.

Some of the good things include:

• Parents seeing more of their children, not less
• Fathers enjoying playing with their children and sharing domestic tasks.
• Families cooking together.
• Much less consumerism.
• Lack of air pollution – skies are clear again, and streets are empty.
• The environment has surely benefited from the lock downs.
• People being creative about showing things online.
• Lack of obsessions that many used to have – many things we used to think were so important don’t really matter now.
• Some people taking pay cuts.
• Smiles and waves.
• Individuals  moving into bubbles of vulnerable folk such as the elderly or my daughter. Hohepa have been truly amazing, and goodness knows, they have challenging situations to deal with.

I am sure I have omitted other instances, both of scams, and kindness.

At am the figures are as follows: the US has 1,292,987 infections, and 76,942 deaths. The UK has 206,715 infections and (officially) 30, 615 deaths.

Today, my cleaner comes again. What a relief! It is great to see him. We miss the 1 pm briefing, but there are two new cases of Covid 19, and no deaths. One of the cases is a nurse who had been looking after St Margaret’s rest home patients at Waitakere Hospital. The other one is confirmation of a previously probable case, so the total rises by one to 1490.

We are so fortunate to be safe in this country, with strong leadership. Many of us have loved ones overseas, and while we pray for them, they don’t need to worry about us.  No one here should go hungry, or be without medical care.

I, for one, appreciate the steps that have been taken at our local supermarket. There is always someone at the door to greet you and allow you in; you’re not permitted to take bags into the store (this took some getting used to, as previously we had got used to taking reusable bags), and they’ve taken more trouble to wrap individual items and take doors off the self-service cabinet. It’s nice to shop there, and you feel fairly safe.  I am looking forward to having the checkout person pack my goods again, though – I do find it hard to load everything back into the trolley, wheel it outside, and then pack my bags.

This afternoon we are due to have a special afternoon tea with our granddaughter who turns five today. We are honoured to be part of her lovely family’s bubble. This is the first time we’ve interacted with family (not at a distance) since before the level 4 lockdown began on 25 March. We are so honoured to be part of her special day. She has missed (thus far) her last day at kindergarten, and starting school is still a bit of a blur. The children are very affectionate. With us being adult, and them being quite small, they can hug us again. It is good to share experiences together in person.  We agree that we haven’t missed inappropriate advertisements for clothes and travel and things you used to be able to buy at all!

The music for today has to be the Birthday Song.  Nga mihi nui.

Today is Thursday May 7^th.  This morning we have a singing session using Zoom at 10:30. So there isn’t a whole lot of time to muck around (or read the newspaper), given that getting ready and moving and starting up the computer takes a while.

What I do learn is the following:

• Countries who seek to ease lock down restrictions are by and large experiencing more coronavirus infections and deaths; they are then faced with the conundrum of accepting this (wave 2?) or re-imposing some form of social distancing, which may be a hard sell to their people.
• In most countries large cities are first hit very hard, then the virus spreads to the rural areas.
• There continue to be concerns about children catching Covid 19 and presenting with unexpected symptoms.
• Trump’s coronavirus task force is not going to be shut down by Memorial Day (May 25) after all.
• Three medical staff (doctors?) in Russia have had window accidents, i.e. been pushed out of windows when they protested conditions. One survived, injured, to tell the sad tale.
• The oil price is negative again.
• The vice-chairman of Amazon has resigned, apparently unhappy with the way some Amazon staff have been treated.
• Exxon Mobil has lost a great deal of money.
• Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has sold all its stock in airlines, noting that the future looks different now.
• Thailand, despite being a poor country, has done rather well.
• Aeration, as in opening windows, is good, but air-conditioning can be deadly in terms of spreading the virus around (viz. cruise ships).

At 11 am, the US death total is 74,121; two hours later it is 74,799. At 11 am here the UK death total is 30,150.

We have a lovely singing session. It is a joy to see many again, including some who haven’t logged in earlier. The session ends abruptly after 40 minutes – evidently that’s the Zoom limit unless the host buys a premium level of Zoom.

At 1 pm Jacinda Ardern and Dr Ashley Bloomfield give a briefing. The news is good – there is one new case of Covid 19, linked to the Matamata cluster, bringing the total to 1489.  There are no new deaths, and just two patients in hospital, none in Intensive Care. There were 7,323 tests done yesterday, giving a total of 108,023 tests to date. Dr Bloomfield concludes that with respect to masks, there are benefits and disadvantages, and wearing them is not mandatory at this stage.

The Prime Minister next gives us the information we have all been waiting to hear – what will level 2 look like? She is admirably cautious – “we do not want the virus to come back”. No one wants a second wave. She repeats that relaxation of rules overseas has seen the virus bounce back.

Under level 2, bubbles need no longer apply. Workplaces, hair-dressing salons, cafés, restaurants, pubs and shops will be able to open; also churches, museums, and markets. You can have gatherings of up to 100 people; you’re expected to maintain social distancing and good hygiene; in cafés the three S’s apply: patrons must be Seated, Separated from others, and have a Single server. If you can work from home, you should continue to do so. Organisations should continue to keep track of who’s there, as some were doing before the lockdown. Numbers in stores should be controlled. This will assist in contact tracing. Schools and early childhood centres will reopen, but on the Monday following the announcement. And, above all, if you’re unwell, or your child’s unwell, you should stay at home and endeavour not to pass any illness on. But you can have members of your family or friends round for dinner at your house. We’ll be allowed to travel within New Zealand, but not to a convention. I am looking forward to seeing my daughter again, when Hohepa says it’s acceptable.

I am sure that newspapers will rush to explain what’s allowed under level 2. What aren’t mentioned are the following: buffets and shared refreshments, or catered food; libraries; public transport; cinemas; visiting rest homes, retirement villages, and hospitals;  funerals – it may be very difficult to restrict access to them. Organisations need to create rules that work.  That’s probably easier said that done!  But we have a good idea of what’s likely to happen. Oh, and Super Rugby will be on again, but stadia empty. The borders remain closed, and any new arrivals from overseas will still be required to quarantine for 14 days. So that’s a relief.  I suspect in fact that pretty much anything will go. Rules will be honoured in the breach rather than the observance.  I pick that tables will need to be reserved at restaurants – there won’t be much in the way of casual dining. But, no decisions will be taken until May 11.

It occurs to me that I am really pleased that we didn’t take on a boarder earlier this year. That would have been really difficult during the lockdown.

Reopening in the US is a death sentence for many. It’s now officially accepted that there will be deaths as a result.  Evidently Trump and Pence can get Covid 29 tests whenever they want; the rest of the US can’t. Even people returning to work, as restrictions are lifted, can’t get tested. Where testing does take place, the numbers infected are growing and alarming, as are those of deaths. But the federal government seems determined to ignore bad news, as people are scared of returning to their workplaces, where suing management is not an option.  It seems any restrictions or guidelines issued by the CDC or even the White House are optional rather than mandatory.

It seems to, that according to various polls a majority of the US public prefer measures of distancing in order to save lives: the seeming hordes you see in some pictures, at the beach, for example, or protesting, represents a vocal and well-funded minority, Many people are afraid to return to work, and to return to using facilities previously available. As someone asked, would you put your thumb in a ball at a bowling alley? But Americans do have a conflicted idea of just what “freedom” means.  The President has used the Defence Production Act to ensure continuity of the meat supply, in spite of illness, instead of using it to produce much needed equipment for treatment, protection, or testing. The federal government has not provided easy to access financial assistance, so many people are desperate for their pay check, assuming they still have a job. As Dr John Campbell comments, it’s not possible to stay at home if your children are hungry, and depending on your earning something in order to feed them.

It was quite amusing seeing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson being grilled by new Labour Party Leader, Sir Keir Starmer, at question time. The British have failed woefully at managing this crisis, but it is fun to see Bojo having some reasonably able opposition for a change.

The figures from the US generally get update around 11 am our time, so I won’t quote them again.

That’s all for now.  I’m sure we will hear more tomorrow about what level 2 may mean, and when we may expect our recycling collections to resume. I shall have to contemplate getting dressed up again!

This morning we sang Six Ribbons and For the Longest Time, and learnt a new song. That was fun. JD and I have been watching “Normal People” on TVNZ On Demand. It’s a treat to hear Irish accents, and see Trinity College; and doesn’t Marianne wear beautiful clothes?

Quote from “Stalingrad”, which I am presently reading: “People felt both free and orphaned”, page 384. That seems to explain the situation in many places now.

Nga mihi nui.

Today is Wednesday May 6^th. Kia ora katoa! Kia kaha!

What’s next? A body can get used to anything, even being hanged, but now thoughts must turn towards the future, of reopening economies, of relaxing lockdown restrictions, of establishing a new kind of normal.

Tuesday was unpleasant, in terms of the weather. It was much colder than we have experienced here to date, and it rained heavily.

I woke to news of Trump complaining at the Lincoln Memorial that he has been treated worse than Lincoln, amidst alarming talk of the University of Washington changing the assumptions of its models (they had falsely assumed that testing would improve and the level of contact tracing would increase).

There was mixed news here. The government seems to be doing a great job, but the Wellington City Council, not so. Some of the complaints include a lack of openness, warnings about rates increases, bickering and infighting, strange priorities (surely reopening the Wellington Central Library has to be a key priority?), and an odd decision not to get information from NIWA about southern storm warnings, such as the recent high waves that caused such havoc at Owhiro Bay. Now evidently the council is going to build a wall, but not, according to residents, where it is needed.

But there is an article on the Stuff website entitled Ten Reasons to be Optimistic about Jobs and the Economy amid Covid-19, which JD actually agrees with. I do, too.  It is good, too, that Maori and Pacifica are not disproportionately affected here by the virus.

Overseas, the news is mostly not great. England is heading towards having the highest death rate in Europe; ah no, they’re not part of Europe now. China’s economy is down by perhaps 6% (whatever that means); their factories have been severely affected by worldwide fall in demand for anything that they make. It also seems their death figures have been understated. There is also huge suspicion in the US of China, and seeking to blame the Chinese for the virus. Was it created in a lab, and released by accident? Was it created in a wet-market, and transmitted from an animal to a human being? Who knows. Does it really matter, or make any difference now? We have all been hugely affected. The world has literally stopped in its tracks. Many agree that a pandemic was bound to come, sometime soon, and some of us are now thinking that this crisis was not such a bad thing to happen, here in New Zealand, anyway. The effects of climate change are coming, too.

There are efforts to track the progress of Covid 19 as well as its origins. It is a shocking reminder to realise the first reports of a new virus from Wuhan were in early December, through to the first death in the UK on March 5. By the time of Easter (Good Friday was April 10), virtually the whole world was in some kind of lock down, the world economy was paralysed, and personal situations were scary and confusing in many places. No one would have seen this coming, so fast. I reread a newspaper from Saturday March 21, before New Zealand went into lock down, and reporters were musing on the effect already on the tourism industry in small towns of the South Island, on the election, and another retrospective piece seeing what was likely to come here. Medical staff speculated on what might be required of them, if the effects of the virus became much worse here as it had overseas.

There are disturbing reports now from the US, and previously from the UK, of children being ill but in a different way from adults. They may have weird patches on their feet, like frostbite or chilblains, and symptoms of Kawasaki disease; or some in New York have presented with heart failure. These distressing signs are not widely prevalent, but have been noticed.

At the 1 pm briefing there are no new cases, and no further deaths in New Zealand. Four patients are in hospital. In April there were the fewest car deaths since 1946.

In the afternoon, we go shopping at Newlands for groceries (at least I do). I buy quite a lot of things, having to go back to the vegetable section for salad dressing, and then having difficulty finding a birthday card and wrapping paper for my granddaughter. At the checkout, I suddenly feel very tired. It is wearying to unload the trolley, and then put everything back in it, especially when one is trying to protect the eggs, the fresh bread, and some cakes. Anyway, I pay for the goods, and come out to the car and pack everything in the shopping bags I have brought.

Dubya (George W Bush) has released a video which shows kindness and empathy and the need for everyone in the US to work together. It is a wonderful message. While I cannot forgive the invasion of Iraq, this is a wonderful message, and just what the country needs.

I learn in the evening that the UK that there had been over 32,000 deaths in the UK. The US totals were 1.21 million infected, and 69,680 deaths.

On Wednesday morning there is more news. I think the most horrifying is the New York Times suggesting that the US will regard deaths due  to the virus like mass-shooting deaths – part of the price they seem more than willing to pay for “freedom” and defence of their Second Amendment rights. The heading reads “Will We Shrug Off Coronavirus Deaths As We Do Gun Violence?” One commentator pointed out that it was not unreasonable that one might defend one’s home; it is quite something else to openly carry a gun in a threatening manner (she said).  

Meanwhile, the White House is planning to phase out the Coronavirus Task Force, by Memorial Day, according to Vice President Mike Pence.  It seems that Trump has decided that it’s all nothing to do with him, he just wants everything to be as it was with the stock market rising, unemployment falling, his big donors happy, and everything open again, come what may. There are deep divisions across the country with many supporting some level of distancing and precautions. Trump toured a mask-making factory in Arizona today, refusing to wear a mask himself. The background music was “Live and Let Die” by Guns N’Roses.

George Conway, president of the Noble Society (and previous survivor of wind-mill cancer) has released a video, “Mourning in America”. The US President erupts in rage calling him “Moon face” in a tweet. Meanwhile Wendy’s is advertising that it can’t supply hamburgers, because of a meat shortage, and sales of meat are being restricted in stores. One assumes that so many meat processing plants have been affected by infections of Covid 19, that supply has indeed been affected, despite the President’s Executive Order requiring meat processing plants to stay open.

Another frightening development today was the news from California that the virus has mutated into another, more deadly version than its original, and that this deadlier one has wreaked havoc on Italy and New York, in particular. This version may be resistant to whatever vaccines are being developed. With regard to vaccines, China joined other world leaders including the WHO for a common video discussion yesterday. The US was not present. Meanwhile, a US doctor (Rick Bright) who was demoted because of the cronyism around use of hydroxychloroquine and development of a vaccine has now made a formal complaint.

The 1 pm briefing today brings two new cases of Covid 19 – one confirmed case in the Marist College cluster, and one probable at the St Margaret’s Rest Home in Auckland. This brings the official total to 1488. Sadly, there has been another death – a woman in her 60’s who was a resident at the Rosewood Home in Christchurch. She did have pre-existing health conditions. Jacinda Ardern and Dr Ashley Bloomfield front this briefing, and again, I am a bit surprised at how tough the journalists’ questions are.  This has been a war, after all, with war-time like conditions. Jacinda Ardern answers them all graciously, but does point out that her main focus was getting control over the virus, and managing that situation, and that the unfortunate situations she is quizzed about would be distressing in any circumstances.

On Wednesday it is fine and much warmer, in fact it is sunny in the afternoon. We go for a walk to the local store to buy things I couldn’t buy yesterday – there is one punnet of raspberries left, and there are tins of creamed corn. I can also buy packets of fruit biscuits. You can see what the popular items are!

Once again, we are so grateful to be here, in a country where there is good government, plenty of food, and an increased feeling of safety and friendship, and of people going out of their way to be nice. It has done us all good to slow down a bit. 

At the end of the day, figures are as follows: the US has 1,238,030 infections, and 72,284 deaths. The UK has just under 195,000 infections and 29,427 deaths. By contrast, Canada has 63,215 infections and 4,043  deaths. That makes you wonder, does it not?

My favourite piece today is the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Itzak Perlman as soloist. Isn’t he a marvellous That’s it for now. Nga mihi nui.