One year ago I started a new journal.
The first entry, dated 22 March 2020 was headed 2020. The COVID-19 Year. I find it interesting looking back. This is what I wrote that day last lear:
"We are in the midst of a global pandemic.
Yesterday, Jacinda Ardern announced an alert system for New Zealand. We are at alert level two. This means the risk of community transmission is growing. Borders are closed, domestic travel discouraged, working from home encouraged, and over 70s and people with compromised immunity (and other health conditions) advised to stay at home.
Italy went into lockdown some time ago, eventually the UK followed suit and the schools there closed on Friday. The death rate in Italy has grown steadily (actually perhaps exponentially) since the outbreak hit in Feb. The pattern in the UK looks remarkably similar only delayed by two weeks. It's a huge concern.
In NZ we have the benefit of seeing what has unfolded elsewhere and as the fabulous Jacinda Ardern has said it means we have gone in hard and gone in early. Underpinned by testing and isolating (areas the other governments haven't always got right) so far the approach seems to be well thought through, coherent, consistent, compassionate. Ashley Bloomfield has also been great. The coordination and the comms have been impressive as far as I am concerned. It won't be plain sailing.
Yesterday, NZ stood at 52 cases, no deaths - I think 3 or 4 hospitalised. All but two cases associated with overseas travel and it is these two, where contacts are still being traced, which have raised the alarm about possible community transmission.
It can be difficult not to feel gloomy but I've had lots of message contact with UK folks. Susannah and I went shopping in the rather quiet Queensgate centre for more trousers for her (pre "Alert level 2" announcement). Then Bruce and I bought heaters for each of the girls' rooms. I have this urge to prepare for this winter. Instead of a meal out we got a rather fine take away from Bikaner."
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