Four COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in one Auckland family from an unknown source. From noon today (12 August), the city will move to Alert Level 3 restrictions, and the rest of the country will move to Level 2: the restrictions will last until at least midnight Friday.
The city’s non-essential businesses must shut down by then, and gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited. Non-residents may leave Auckland but are asked to watch their health and report any possible symptoms.
Associate Professor Garry Nixon, Department of General Practice and Rural Health, University of Otago.
“This is disappointing but not entirely unexpected.
“Different alert levels between different parts of the country is a sensible approach in the circumstances. But this is something we have not previously seen.
“Minimising movement between regions is now more important. People shifting out of the cities to sit out the last lockdown at the bach was a problem last time. Now it risks not only putting undue pressure on stretched rural health services, it also risks introducing the virus into communities at lower alert levels, where it can spread more easily.
“For the same reasons, those returning to regional and rural areas after time in Auckland should act as if they were at Level 3, at least until the extent of the outbreak becomes clearer.”
——
Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles, University of Auckland.
“It’s obviously disappointing to have cases of community transmission again in New Zealand. But we knew this could happen at some point. Now the race is on to find the source of the cases and break any chains of transmission.
“Moving Auckland straight to Alert Level 3 and the rest of the country to Alert Level 2 gives us the best chance of stamping out the virus quickly. Any delays just mean more opportunities for the virus to spread further.
“We only have to look to Victoria to see how catastrophic any delays can be. People need to prepare themselves for these restrictions being in place for longer than three days if more cases come to light or the source of the infection proves difficult to pin down.
“My message to all New Zealanders is not to panic. We’ve stamped out the virus before and we will do it again.”
——
Dr Hiran Thabrew, Child Psychiatrist and Paediatrician, University of Auckland and Auckland District Health Board.
“Going back to lockdown, albeit half expected, is likely to be anxiety, disappointment and even a sense of grief.
“Anxiety is likely to be related to worries about one’s own safety and the safety of loved-ones and may lead to avoidance of people and public spaces. This may not be a bad thing. It may also lead to a resumption of searching social media for COVID-related stories, which is likely to be less useful.
“Disappointment is the psychological reaction to an outcome that does not match up to expectations (i.e. you are in an uncertain situation, you hope for a positive outcome, you feel you deserve the positive outcome and then you are surprised that you dd not achieve the positive outcome). The greater the disparity between your expectations and the outcome, the greater the disappointment.
“Grief can manifest in different ways/stages (although these don’t always happen in a set sequence):
denial (this isn’t really happening)
anger (acting out/breaking the rules)
sadness (feeling down about what’s going on).
acceptance (coming to terms with what’s happening and doing what’s needed)
“Those who break the rules are likely to channel the anger and risk exclusion by the rest of the ‘team of 5 million’ who are trying to survive the situation together. Multiple cases could also lead to people doubting the Government’s strategy of stamping out the virus and pose a political risk during this election year. Therefore, public vigilance is essential, not merely reliance on a limited number of regulatory authorities such as the Police.
“Healthy ways to manage anxiety, disappointment and grief include:
Revising one’s expectations (again).
Focussing on what you can control, and trying to accept what you can’t
Continuing to do all the things you did during the previous lockdown to maintain your mental health and care for others, including:
Creating a new daily/weekly routine
Not trying to do too much (aim to achieve 70% of what you’d like, not 100%)
Talking about your feelings with others
Actively using relaxation strategies, including regular exercise, mindfulness via apps like CALM/Headspace, online yoga, etc.
Practicing gratitude by thinking of three things for which you are still grateful each day
Limiting use of social media to read stories about COVID or keep up with the latest case numbers
Checking in and staying connected with others, especially those who may be more afraid or more vulnerable to either the virus or the effects of isolation
Remembering that this too will pass
“Note that children may have different responses, depending on their ages. See my previous statements (here and here) for more information.
“However, the most important determinant of how they fare is likely to be how their parents react to the situation. So, providing age-appropriate explanations of what’s going on, staying calm and modelling self-care strategies will help them get through this period.
“Following this phase, the public is likely to be open to greater protection measures. More organised or mandatory use of the COVID tracker app or other tracking technology may be one valuable strategy.”
