It’s now time for a unity of purpose
The Covid-19 outbreak is unlike anything we’ve experienced before and the Prime Minister’s recent announcement, which raised the alert level to four from today highlights the magnitude of what we’re facing.
As the country goes into moves toward a full lockdown, it’s important we remain calm, look out for each other and follow the advice of health officials.
New Zealand has been affected by global disruptions before, such as World War I, the Depression of the 1930s, World War II, the 1987 stock market crash and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. These were all global crises that affected us immensely.
Those who lived during WWII recall the sense of insecurity which engulfed the nation.
For people who lived in exposed coastal areas, there was the fear of attack or invasion. Meanwhile, at home people had to contend with rationing and severe petrol shortages.
Family life was shattered as husbands, fathers, sons and brothers departed for overseas service.
Many suffered incredible hardship and heartbreak. When the long black cloud over the country finally lifted in 1945, New Zealanders had willingly went without for six years.
Granted, the situations are very different: that was a war fought on soils abroad more than 70 years ago.
Here is a public health crisis where the enemy is invisible.
New Zealand today is also strikingly different from the New Zealand of the 1940s. We lead more connected lives and are more in tune with the world around us.
Day after day we’re seeing the international experience and the spread of Covid-19, particularly in countries like Italy and Spain.
Hospitals are overrun and the number who have fallen to the virus is now in the thousands.
New Zealand is a small isolated nation and our geographical position is an advantage. But we can’t be complacent.
While the young might not be as susceptible to the virus, a person who doesn’t adhere to selfisolation puts the lives of the elderly and vulnerable at risk.
The WWII analogy is an apt one to use because while the situations might be different, it’s a time which again requires unity of purpose and understanding.
That’s because it puts things into perspective. Back then a generation of New Zealanders willingly put their lives on the line, selflessly heeding the call to arms to fight on battlefields they’d probably never heard of, such as Crete and Cassino.
Moving to Covid-19 Alert Level 4 means staying at home and stopping all interactions with others outside of your household. While you’re still allowed to go for a walk or exercise outside, you must keep a 2 metre distance from people at all times.
Earlier this week National Party leader Simon Bridges put all election campaigning on hold, offering the Government the services of our MPs and staff to assist where we can.
National MPs and candidates will still be in their communities helping constituents where possible. We want to do all we can to protect the health of New Zealanders and ultimately our economy and livelihoods.
The Government’s Covid-19 devoted website is the place to head if you’re unsure about anything and provides up-to-date advice on how to best protect your and your family.
I encourage you all to head to the following website and take a look: https://covid19.govt.nz/ latest-updates/
With Covid-19 here on our shores, we’re all going to have to pitch in and do our bit.
Nurses, doctors, teachers, builders, officer workers, friends and family: we’ve all got a role to play.
Here is a public health crisis where the enemy is invisible.