Monday, March 30, 2020

Day 5

We are in strict lockdown here on day 5.  No restaurants, no takeaway food, no online shopping except for groceries, no visitors, no travelling - nothing.  Stay home.  We are allowed to exercise by going for a walk close to home away from others,  go to the doctors (although you have to ring them and they are doing 99% of consultations over the phone) or go to the supermarket for essentials.  Essential workers only are allowed to go to work.  Mum and all of her colleagues carry their ID in case they are stopped by Police.

Mum was surprised to read some of the news from around the world about what other countries are doing.  Things she read overnight though made sense about how we have been able to move swiftly.  Here in New Zealand we only have one level of government, so decision making can be quick and decisive without a lot of arguing.  Every day at 1pm there is a nationwide press meeting, where the Prime Minister, Director General of Health and other leaders present the numbers of Covid Patients for the day and impart any new information for the public.  This is broadcast on television for anyone to watch. 

Mums cold has settled and she will return to her essential work tomorrow.  She is looking forward to getting out of the house for a while, and understands why some people have a touch of the cabin fever.  Mum is missing seeing her friends, but they all stay in touch with phone calls and texts to check on each other.

Tonight dinner for her is  a frozen cooked spicy  mince and veg dish from last week.  She is going to reheat it and have mince on toast to use up the last of her loaf of bread.  Tomorrow after work she is going to try to go to the supermarket, a task she usually enjoys but now is fraught with its own stress.  She doesn't have to get much, but some bread and fruit and veg will help boost out the frozen food and pasta.  She tries to be nice to the checkout team and thank them for the good job they are doing in these strange times.  Also a big thank you to the bus drivers who are transporting essential workers round for free.

10 comments:

  1. It’s a horrid situation made worse by our politicians trying to one up each other.
    So far our infected numbers are slowing down so hopefully we won’t need for further lockdown measures
    If people who don’t need to go out will just stay inside that would help immensely. Stay safe xx

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  2. Same over here Poppy!x I've only been out twice in the
    last two weeks..planning on a supermarket visit on Thurs!
    Still been busy around the house..I'm not one for getting
    bored..! :).

    One of the things that did make me cross..they were showing
    piles of food, stacked up to be collected by the bin men...
    Outside peoples houses..Why? People over stocking..most of
    the food passed it's sell by date..so they throw it out...
    I'm lost for words..! :(.

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  3. Poppy, you and your human are fortunate to live in a small country with adults in charge.

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  4. It is the same here, Poppy. The only twice I have left home in the past 2 weeks have been medical related. Two weeks down and ten to go of our shelter at home.
    In yesterday's government briefing we were told it could be 6 months before things start to get back to normal.

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  5. You know I'm in Canada...Here, we have all 10 provinces and 3 territories, plus the federal government. And because it's a minority federal government, the opposition parties have to be appeased. So it's definitely more challenging. The federal, provincial and municipal governments all have their measures in place. We, too, are in lockdown, at least in this province (Ontario), BUT none of these measures came fast enough, IMO. We can't go back and change the past now, but I surely hope that everyone will be on board with immediate stricter measures when the next pandemic occurs. Like angels Eric and Flynn's mum, our understanding is that it could be 6 months before "normal" life returns. The economy can't be shut down for 6 months, of course, already it's a global disaster on that level as well as the medical level.

    Our PM speaks to the country every day with an update, as do the provincial premiers and health officials. Of all the provinces/territories in this country, Quebec has been the most aggressive right off the bat. Unfortunately, as of last night, they also had the most cases. I think for us is that being a cold country, we have millions and millions of "snowbirds," retired folks who winter in Florida and Arizona, Mexico, etc. And millions more who take holidays over the winter, to escape the cold. It's very easy to carry back more than holiday holiday souvenirs (i.e. the virus), and then before you know it, you have a situation out of hand, as it is now.

    Anyway, let's all take deep breaths, be thankful for our blessings, and know that it will be okay in the end--or so I hope and pray for all of us. Stay safe and stay well.

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  6. It can get a bit boring just thinking you must stay home here in USA, but it
    is still cold weather and most of us in Ohio would be home or just "window"
    shopping for nothing important.
    Glad mum is feeling like the cold is letting up. We have our fingers and paws
    crossed she stays healthy when back to work.

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  7. We are from the United States in the state of Pennsylvania. We have plenty of lockdown rules just like you, but some places people are just not listening to the rules. We hope you and mum are still having some great times being together at home. Thanks for the share. Have a wonderful rest of your day.
    World of Animals

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  8. Yeah, mum isn't going anywhere other than to get foods. She doesn't think she will do much carryout. Watching TV, reading books, cleaning stuff. Getting out for a walk, trying to do some yard work as well.

    Stay well and safe.

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  9. It's good to read your mum's cold is dissipating. I wouldn't mind being stuck at home for a couple of weeks, but I have plenty to do, and enjoy being away from work - though I wouldn't want to be sick in order to do it.

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