The ultimate antisocial crime

WE’VE knocked it off — or so you would think.

Yesterday’s reveal of no new Covid19 cases nationwide was met with delight, and rightfully so.

The actions of the Government and the compliance of the vast majority of the public has meant there have been a mere handful of fatalities and we have avoided the mass tragedy seen so starkly overseas.

We can pat each other on the back — but let’s keep it figurative for now. Setting aside the now significant tally of shutdowns and layoffs, we must acknowledge this is far from over.

If the past six weeks has taught us anything it should be the danger of clusters forming and how easily one case can become dozens in the right environment.

It has been more than two weeks without a new case in the South and, judging by people’s behaviour, you would think the virus’ eradication had been confirmed.

Friday night was greeted with the familiar hum of house parties taking place, the parks are packed with groups of autumn picnickers and those people wearing masks to the supermarket are once again being smirked at as paranoid loons.

We have short memories. There will be no smiles if we are sent back to Level 4 — no drivethrough takeaways either.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Directorgeneral of health Ashley Bloomfield both hinted not so subtly yesterday that flagrant disregard by the public for the current regulations would mean a longer stay at Level 3 than first scheduled.

Like being confronted by parents who are not angry, just disappointed, we need to take heed.

It is not just about our personal freedom and avoiding the spread of a potentially deadly virus.

Nearly all businesses have been bleeding cash throughout this saga and if we remain in this economic limbo, they will continue to do so. A prolonged stay at Level 3 could make the difference to a company’s survival, not to mention all the jobs that may entail.

The cost to the Government of propping up the economy will continue to balloon; all because we fancy a beer with our mates, a coffee catchup or a trip to the crib.

Among the thousands of people around the country who have been charged with breaching the lockdown, 14 have appeared in the Dunedin District Court. And they have mostly been familiar faces.

What has been astounding is the number of people who have fronted the court and claimed they had no idea about a global pandemic or the severe restrictions around movement.

Excuses have ranged from the viable (escaping an abusive partner; visiting a sick young child) to the bizarre (driving from Oamaru to Dunedin for a replacement car windscreen).

One man, who last month pleaded guilty to a Level 4 breach and was granted bail, was charged with breaching the Level 3 rules at the weekend by “congregating in a public place”.

We should feel hurt by the selfishness it entails, the fact people believe the rules do not apply to them, the inability to see the inherent risk in their behaviour.

Really, it is the ultimate antisocial crime: knowing your actions could potentially affect the entire nation but feeling entitled enough to do it anyway.

It is generally the lowhanging fruit charged by police, people they think most likely they will be able to convict.

Many of those in court have been semitransient types, alcoholics and drugusers with clear mentalhealth issues who have continually rejected help offered by social agencies.

The Covid19 situation has further exposed a subsector of the community who have fallen through the cracks; not impaired enough to warrant institutional-isolation and too impaired to seek out the help they require to be functional.

It is a societal disease that will remain long after this lockdown is over.