One year ago today, life in New Zealand changed forever. The alert level 4 lockdown began at 11.59pm on March 24 and on March 25 we woke up to quiet streets as Kiwis were urged to stay home to save lives. On the anniversary of lockdown, Cira Olivier and Leah
Memories of lockdown: Rotorua reflects on one year on
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Everyone was instructed to stay at home in their "bubble" unless they were essential workers or it was for essential reasons.
Covid-19 shook the health sector and as new information flooded in constantly, stress and anxiety about the new virus increased in the essential sector.
Hospitals implemented no visitor policies and created Covid-19 wards. Movement within hospitals was controlled, non-clinical staff worked from home.
There wasn't anyone in health who wasn't impacted by the pandemic, said Lakes District Health Board incident controller and director of nursing and midwifery Gary Lees.
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"We were preparing for much larger numbers but that didn't eventuate and we were very fortunate."
Due to strict border controls and isolation requirements, the Government needed somewhere for people to go and by June, Rotorua's dormant hotels were put into use.
The Ibis and Sudima hotels became the first managed isolation quarantine facilities [MIQ] in the city on the weekend of June 20 after returning travellers were bussed to the city from Auckland.
Mayor Steve Chadwick was notified of the decision on Friday and informed on Saturday that the Defence Force would bring people in that night.
The decision left businesses divided but calls for Rotorua to show manaakitanga were also made.
"The DHB has a role in directing the managed isolation facilities, but it's not the only way the health sector has changed after Covid-19," Lees said.
"We have community testing and an immunisation programme as well as day-to-day work, which is still impacted by Covid because we have to be aware of the possibility of people coming in with Covid-like symptoms or from MIQ."
Some people are back to business as usual but others are still doing Covid-related work or taking account of Covid in the way they do their work, Lees said.
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"It's probably true to say that there's nobody who works for the DHB who hasn't been affected by Covid at some point over the last 12 months.
"It's resulted in significant impact on all of our staff. We've got used to working a lot more remotely and using technology. We're doing a lot more appointments by telehealth."
Between March 23 and April 27, 416 elective surgeries we delayed in the board's area due to level 4 restrictions. The impact of the necessary catch-up was still being felt now.
"That's impacting on all of our staff. We've some specialist activity relating to Covid but there's pressure on the entire system."
On March 13, Patchell Group, a respected manufacturer of heavy transport equipment, announced 24 staff would be made redundant.
The logging industry had been hit by a decline in the Chinese export market due to the impact of Covid in that country, which trickled down to hit the demand for new builds jobs for the company.
Chief executive Brent Whibley said it was the dagger that forced the restructure.
"China can and will reduce demand, as has done in the past, but not a full port and business shutdown like they did, for as long as they did."
"The redundancies were the result of over two-thirds of our revenue coming to a halt."
Now, nine of those people are re-employed. Others were offered jobs but already had other employment.
While the company registered as an essential service, it only did repairs during lockdown, while the senior team prepared the business for changes in alert levels.
"Absolutely we made the right decision ... we were impacted when the international market was hit, not just New Zealand lockdown."
He said their markets now "could not be so different" from a year ago.
"Demand for new equipment is at an all-time high and our order file is booked solid."
Whibley said the future was looking "very positive" and the company was hiring skilled trades staff.
"We are always very aware though that something could turn at any moment and we have been fortunate that Rotorua has not had to go into any further lockdown."
Mainfreight Rotorua truck driver Ricky Bishop sacrificed being around his 10-year-old daughter and mother during the lockdown to reduce the risk. It ripped him apart.
"That was the hardest part for me. They would come to the fence line but we couldn't really see each other," he said.
But with roads nearly deserted, getting around was easier.
"The roads were empty and it was like a ghost town compared to now with all these hideous roadworks, bring back lockdown by all means," Bishop joked.
The pandemic had impacted his customers in many ways, some just receiving parcels now they ordered during lockdown.
"In terms of my workload, it's a hell of a lot easier in lockdown. But with what has been happening with businesses ... I feel for those families that have lost jobs."
While Bishop managed to keep his truck driving job during and after lockdown, not everyone was as lucky.
The number of work-ready people on the jobseeker benefit has shot up by 3444 in the Bay of Plenty since March last year.
As of February, there were 11,166 people on the jobseeker benefit, up from 7722 in March last year. This peaked in December at 11,466.
The impact of financial strain has been felt by the Rotorua Salvation Army Foodbank, which provides welfare for approximately 30 families a week.
Demand for food parcels has more than doubled that of 2019.
Rotorua Salvation Army corps officer Kylie Overbye said there was a slight increase in people who were struggling due to employment changes.
"People presenting are not necessarily due to Covid, but more due to the increased housing challenges, whether increased rent or change of living circumstances."
Rotorua Principals Association president and Mamaku School principal Gary Veysi said trauma had increased for many children and more pupils were showing up with anxiety post-lockdown.
"It's as simple as hearing all this information on the news and not understanding it right through to families who feel their children should still be away from school because there's a chance of [catching] it.
"Then there are kids that just get on with it. You've just got to take all that into consideration because as a principle you can't dismiss anything, you've got to have an open mind to how people are feeling."
As a result, hauora (health and wellbeing) was now at the forefront of most schools' focus - something Veysi views as a positive.
"From my perspective, the lockdown has made us rethink what is important.. and for me it's definitely about how are we supporting the people most in need."
When the call came for the country to bunker down, Veysi said being a country school was to their advantage due to their proximity, but there was no denying learning was easier face to face.
"No matter what you say or do, online learning is great, but that human contact, with a teacher in front of children meant those relationship buildings were better."
Veysi said staff were pushed back a few steps to how they felt at the start of the year and therefore brainstormed ways to re-establish those connections again.
"Now it's how do we maintain that if we were put back there again - although I think the parents were quite happy when we came out of lockdown and they could send their kids back to school."
Covid-19 key dates
February 28:
New Zealand's first case
March 19: Bay of Plenty's first case in Rotorua - a French national. All indoor gatherings of more than 100 people were cancelled and borders were shut to everyone except residents and citizens.
March 21: Taupō's first case - a resident who returned from London. The alert level system is introduced.
March 22: Tauranga's first case - a resident who returned from the United States.
March 23: New Zealand moved to level 3 immediately and given 48 hours until being moved to level 4.
March 25: The nation is put into lockdown.
March 31: March there were 647 confirmed and probable cases.
April 27: Country moved to level 3.
May 13: Country moved to level 2.
June 8: Country moved to level 1.
June 20: Rotorua's Ibis and Sudima hotels become managed isolation
July 20: Rydges Rotorua becomes city's third managed isolation facility.
