Here we go!
I knew it and I expected it but somehow I was hoping that it will never come.
The first day of total lock down was easier than I thought due to work keeping me SO BUSY at home. Which was good. I didn’t stop for much food, it’s hard to have lunch when you have to cook & work, work & cook. Not to mention that these circumstances are not quite inviting, so I just had snacks. During my breaks I tried to improve my little improvised office, which is in the lounge, facing the street through two corner windows guarded by shades created by horizontal blinds. (I never paid attention to these details, I never looked out these windows much.)
What I could see in the street was 100% silence till about midday. Only my neighbour immediately across the fence decided to cut some trees with his chainsaw, not for long, just during my audio calls with the rest of my team. In the afternoon there was a massive invasion of cars (going shopping?), people walking (one of them wearing just socks), and bikers (more than I thought would be safe – but this country has a recent culture of positive discrimination towards bike-lovers). I also saw a courier doing a home-delivery. None of these people were wearing masks.
I stopped working to listen to the official announcements. One was significant, though the information was inserted in between redundant repeats (sorry for my oxymoron) of the same measures put in place. They have rationed subsidised medication, so, in essence, if you are sick, potentially old and surely vulnerable, you have to go out more often, thus being more exposed to this plague. To me, this indicates a clear shortage of supplies, maybe not now, but soon.
In fact, I expect more products to be rationalised and more restrictions to be imposed in the next few days. They have to sell these tough measures to us one at a time, to make them more palatable. Kiwis are used to a lot of freedom and this government (not my favourite in times of peace, but the only one to follow in times of war) has to tighten the noose more and more. Why? Because we are simply about to be hit by the tidal wave of infection.
Today we got to a total of 283 cases. It grows about 100% every two days. Still manageable, offering more time for preparations. In the South Island we only have 69 confirmed infections and no apparent cluster, while in the North there are at least two centres with clear community contamination. The cat is out of the bag and it has been like this for three weeks, I guess. We are part of an experiment, it almost feels like we are.
My wife has started on home-made face masks. Of course, we don’t have any special filters, so she is just using fabric. But the design is exceptional! It takes about one hour to make a mask, so we won’t be mass-producing but only save these unique creations for fashion shows.
Before I go to bed, just some quick considerations on what’s happening internationally: it is very clear to me that the World leaders have absolutely no clue, they throw money at this crisis left, right and centre, but they themselves get infected (Prince Charles confirmed positive). Money won’t run out, juts more of it will be printed. All symptoms of pre-war depression are there. We’ll see food rations or at least a huge reduction in the variety of products available to buy. Essential goods will be either short, or very valuable, or both.
In a war you don’t want to kill the enemy. No. A dead enemy gives you 1 point. You have to wound the enemy. A wounded enemy gives you 10 points because you take 1 soldier out of action and another group of 4 other soldiers to carry him, 1 driver to the hospital and a medical team of 4 there. Is this by design?
That’s me for today. Good night!
Tags: coronavirus, covid-19, lock down