Letters: Supermarkets, health boards, small businesses, oil and lockdown breaches

Supermarket forays have been stressful for some families trying to assist older relatives. Photo / Stephen Parker

Store security

I am sure that by now it is pretty well understood that elderly people should remain in lockdown and preferably get someone to do their shopping for them, as requested by the Government.
My husband and I are in our late 70s, both with compromised lung conditions. Our daughter and family have been doing our shopping for us, for which we have been very grateful. However today, our daughter and son-in-law went to Pak 'n Save in Albany, at 11.15am. They took two trolleys - he to buy their shopping and she to buy ours - both holding separate shopping lists.
However, they were prevented from entering by the two ladies monitoring the queue because "only one member allowed per household". They were shopping for two households.
No amount of explaining the circumstances would shift them, so they ditched their trolleys and went to Countdown – no issues there.
I think Pak 'n Save needs to spend some time training their staff to understand the current situation and how people are doing their best to keep to the level 4 restrictions. Our daughter and son-in-law are in the same "bubble" and were not in any way trying to stretch the restrictions.
Margaret McDonnell, Glenfield.

Health boards

There will be many learnings from experiences gained from the virus crisis.
At the Parliamentary Committee, Aged Care spokesperson Simon Wallace was very critical of many district health boards who got in the way of, rather than facilitating, Governmental crisis responses.
DHBs have long been under a cloud. The evidence of their poor crisis performance surely just seals their post-crisis fate.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.

Stay the course

As a small business owner, I would like to say that Simon Bridges' comments do not represent me. My customers, some of whom are elderly or have high needs, are important to me and I have no desire to put their lives at risk.
The Government has done a great job helping us get through with wage subsidies and paying out a percentage of lost income.
Sadly, there will be some businesses who will be badly affected, especially those who cater for tourists. The blame lies with the pandemic, and rushing back to work sooner will not alter the fact that tourist numbers will be down for some time. It may be that New Zealanders will fill the gap by holidaying in their own country. I certainly hope so.
Many small business owners, such as myself, are happy to comply with the expert opinions on the best way to respond, and support the Government's efforts to eliminate the virus.
John Hansen, Hastings.

Oil prices

Many readers must be moved to tears by the news that oil prices have dropped to an extent that producers are paying US$30 a barrel to take it off their hands.
Countries, including New Zealand, who consume oil will remember the oil shocks of 1973 and 1979 caused by Opec dramatically increasing the price of oil.
The effect of this caused massive economic instability and hyperinflation, which took decades to overcome.
Cheaper oil will have a positive effect on goods that have to be transported to the consumer, as transport is a huge cost of getting any products to market.
Oil producers may have to look for something else to do with their product.
John Canty, Wadestown.

Seal the bubble

Our Government leaders, officials, and scientists have previously stressed the importance of test-test-test.
As the outbreak of Covid-19 within New Zealand has essentially been eradicated, the imperative now is to prevent any new infections of the virus in the New Zealand bubble. To minimise this risk, our border controls need to be as tight as possible.
In addition to quarantine and self-isolation restrictions, all persons entering or accessing our borders should be tested for the virus.
This population group consists of all passenger arrivals (i.e. not only those with symptoms), aircraft cabin crew, shipping crew, boaties, diplomats and military personnel. It is apparent that many in this population group are not being tested.
The country can not afford for the gains already achieved to be lost through the New Zealand bubble being popped.
John Khouri, Mt Eden.

Time to learn

Some school principals seem to think educating children is less essential than working at a supermarket, pharmacy or healthcare provider. They also seem unable to understand the scientific evidence, clearly communicated by the Ministry of Health, that opening schools represents a very, very minimal risk.
Teachers with guaranteed, government-paid jobs should be thinking a bit more about what they owe society.
Natasha Hamilton, Ponsonby.

Safe distances

With the announcement that New Zealand will move to level 3 next week, our streets will see more activity. At the same time, we will still need to walk and bike around our neighbourhoods for exercise and essential trips.
Most footpaths aren't wide enough to allow for the necessary 2m when passing others, and stepping out into the roadway to pass will become more dangerous with the increase in driving we can expect at level 3.
We urgently need Auckland Transport and other authorities to implement low-cost temporary measures to keep people safe as they move around our cities: emergency "safe movement" lanes on main roads (even road cones would do the trick) so people can continue to maintain physical distancing, filters to divert through traffic around residential neighbourhoods so children and families can walk and play, and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h on local streets so we can safely share the streets with cars and protect our bubbles without endangering our lives.
We need every tool in the toolbox to fight Covid-19, including road safety.
Christina Robertson, Sandringham.

Cold water

I taught for 36 years in New Zealand secondary schools before retirement in 2011. In my work as teacher, head of department, member of NZPPTA national executive, seconded inspector of schools, deputy principal and visiting deputy principal I visited many schools.
They all had one thing in common, for reasons of cost - no hot water for the washbasins in the students' toilet blocks.
In addition, most had no soap for students, except for the enlightened few, which had soap dispensers.
So, parents, in this Covid-19 era, before you send your children back to school, ask if hot water and soap are provided to students. You may be appalled at the answers.
John L R Allum, Thames.

Breaching lockdown

Each occasion a person or persons break an essential restriction or requirement
in Covid-19 levels, a shudder passes through the bodies of frontline responders.
They are only too aware of what has happened to their compatriots in many Western countries where the virus has leapt out of control. They not only fear for themselves but also their families.
Despite our now low levels of positive cases and the few in hospitals, we have to believe that an outbreak could be just around the corner.
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, pause and think: Am I being fair to others? Death only comes once: there are no second chances.
Reg Dempster, Albany.

Reopen shops

In general I think our Government has performed well. A little slow at the start, but they withstood pressure from powerful people - some overseas and even some in New Zealand - and made the appropriate decision, in my view.
However it is reasonable for one to wonder and ask what was the thinking that stopped the Government allowing the opening of small bakeries, fish and chip shops, butchers, fruiterers and all the rest?
A one-in and one-out rule for customers would be fine.
It's worked for supermarkets. Despite customers passing inches away in the aisles, there has been no transmission of Covid-19.
It's time to open these shops.
Gillan Dance, Mount Albert.

Protesters

If Charles Darwin was alive today, he would be pleased to see the validity of his principle of "natural selection" being demonstrated in the United States.
Intellectually challenged citizens, the great majority of them Trump supporters, are congregating to protest against the Covid-19 lockdown. In the process they spread the infection amongst themselves and thus deplete their numbers.
In the meantime, those with a higher IQ remain at home and enhance their chances of survival. Survival of the fittest in action.
Malcolm Bell, Forrest Hill.

News delivered

To the comments of Brian Pittams, Emma Mackintosh, Sally Paine, I add a tribute to all those involved in delivering the Herald.
The production staff who organise the bundles, the truck drivers who transport them from Ellerslie to the delivery depots, the distributors and their delivery people. For seven years, I was one of these, up in the early morning hours, all weathers, ensuring papers were delivered. In my retirement, I appreciate every morning finding mine in the letterbox. I think of the unknown person who put it there, especially in this lockdown time. Thank you to all delivery people.
Vivienne Hill, Glenfield.

Short & sweet

On oil

You have to feel sorry for the oil companies doing it tough now. Let us all have a minute's silence for them… Righto, that's enough, moving on. Glenn Forsyth, Taupo.

On Bridges

So, the current Leader of the Opposition's response to staying in alert level 4 until next Tuesday is "the medicine is worse than the cure". Has he also chosen A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down as the theme music for the National Party's election campaign? William King, Papamoa Beach.

Emmerson's view cartoon on Wednesday morning is a real gem. It looks like Simon Bridges is sitting on his brain. D Milks, Glenfield.

On newspapers

I would just like to add my thanks to the NZ Herald for continuing through these times. It is wonderful to be able to walk out to the letterbox and get my paper… something normal in these weird times. Trish Heikoop, Pakuranga.

On climate

Nick Nicholas begs for the topic of climate change to remain in lockdown. With marine heatwaves and rising sea levels, this is no time to be burying one's head in the sand. Dennis N Horne, Howick.

On sacrifice

We take their point that a human life has a theoretical price but does that mean that all those economists, even theoretically, would volunteer to be the first to go? Sacrifice is only sacrifice if you do it yourself. Martin Ball, Kelston.

On distance

"Better six feet apart than six feet under". Originally from a love poem but, in the current circumstances, appropriate. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.

On rates

How can the Minister of Finance state landlords are not to increase rents at this time but will not stop councils increasing rates? Grant Blake, Green Bay.