But wait, there's more... waiting. A woman sits atop Maungawhau / Mt Eden as Auckland continues in Covid alert level 4. Photo / Dean Purcell
But wait, there's more... waiting. A woman sits atop Maungawhau / Mt Eden as Auckland continues in Covid alert level 4. Photo / Dean Purcell
EDITORIAL
Auckland has now gone further in a lockdown than previous periods under the highest Covid alert level - and unrest is showing.
That is to be expected. Last year's rāhui was a bother and held the added anxiety of the unexpected. This time around, however, there's no novelty toZoom meetings or breadmaking. There are few teddy bears in windows or scrawled chalk messages of support on footpaths.
This time, Auckland knows what to expect; more of what little happened yesterday and the day before.
Further cracks are showing too in the solidarity this team of New Zealanders once boasted of. Anger and recrimination leaped into the throats of many after a couple were charged with exploiting their essential services accreditation to skip through the cordons for a break in Wānaka.
Even the brisk walk around the neighbourhood to reset the senses and "stretch" the legs has become a strain on tolerance as people brush past each other on bush tracks, oblivious to the 2m physical distancing rules. Whether or not people are wearing masks has become a constant commentary for many on their trudge around the block.
Kindness is being pushed to the back teeth by impatience and a lack of forbearance.
But we are not this. We need to remember we are still the same people who stared this virus down last year. Sure, the Delta variant is more infectious, but the same measures are still the best means to break the chain of transmission.
We cannot afford to relinquish the grip on the elimination effort yet. Our rates of vaccination - for all the fingers of blame we wish to wag at culprits - are still too low to protect loved and valuable members of our communities. That is on all of us too, as vaccination centres were hardly booked out in the early months of the rollout.
Past generations proved their worth as New Zealanders in wars and, yes, epidemics. They were less informed or resourced than we are today.
A lethal influenza pandemic that coursed through New Zealand between October and December in 1918 killed about 9000 people in two months. No other event has claimed so many New Zealand lives in such a short time. Do we want to be the generation that beats this tragic record?
Aucklanders need to stay in their bubbles and go out only for essential needs, to contact trace at all new locations, keep 1m physical distance from others in confined spaces and wear a mask, wash hands and be cordial to others - they may be enduring even more than you.
All of us must join the hunt for the virus. Any symptom should be taken to a swab station, not just the current suburbs of interest in Mt Eden, Massey, Māngere, Favona, Papatoetoe, Ōtara and Manurewa.
We know what is on the other side of the ordeal of our lifetime. Staying true to the course now will mean lifting levels next week. Once enough people are inoculated to slow down rampant spread, then restrictions can ease.
