Editorial: Back to one level, fingers crossed again

The Valentines Day Covid cluster of February and March 2021 will be remembered for the locations of interest as well as the mistakes made in passing on the virus. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Opinion

EDITORIAL

Late last Saturday night, any romance afoot from Valentine's Day celebrations withered on the vine as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern put Auckland in lockdown level 3 and the rest of the nation in level 2.

The move was deemed inevitable after a new Covid-19 case was detected in the community. The new case was a 20-year-old who went to the GP on Friday afternoon for a Covid test - then went to the gym afterwards.

Ardern said that was "frustrating". There have been a few more adjectives suggested since that comment as the reality of the forced contractions set in amid more disclosures about misdemeanours by those infected.

We now move Auckland to level 2 at 6am on Sunday to level 1 at the start of next weekend. The rest of the country moves to level 1 at 6am on Sunday.

It's an easier lift in levels than August last year, when "lockdown lite" was extended in Auckland for four extra days until August 30. The extra days were to allow Auckland to move to level 2 "and stay down", Ardern said. From Monday, August 31, the whole country including Auckland went to level 2 but it was phased in, with the gradual lifting of conditions for Auckland.

This time around, as we ease in a familiar manner back into a lower level of restrictions, it's important to put aside the "frustration" or whatever moving into the lockdown felt like and try to focus on kindness and learning from the mistakes of others. That is what will eventually overcome this pandemic.