We all have essential job: Saving lives

This weekend is the first in our new locked-down world. When you open the front door the deserted streets look like an apocalypse or something out of a sci-fi film. But there’s one big difference. We have been incredibly fortunate to have no deaths. It’s now up to all of us to stay home in order to save lives.

I have one simple message for people in our region as we head into the next four weeks: stay at home.

It will break the chain of transmission and it will save lives. If people do not stay at home, other than to go to the supermarket or the GP or to get some fresh air near their homes, they risk spreading the virus to others and risk getting it themselves.

Breaking the rules could kill someone close to you. Self-isolation is our best tool to beat the virus.

If you don’t comply with the rules, you run the risk of forcing us to extend the period of lockdown. Worse, you could contribute to the virus defeating us and causing harm to thousands.

You may not be at work, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a job.

Save lives by staying home and breaking the chain. If you have any questions about what you can or can’t do and you’re looking for answers, apply a simple principle: act as if you have Covid-19. Every move you make could be a risk to someone else. That is how we must all collectively think now.

You are not alone: you will hear daily from government leaders as we guide New Zealand through this period.

It won’t always be perfect, but the principle of what we are doing is the right one. Success won’t be instant. The benefit of what we do today won’t be felt for many days to come.

Expect the number of Covid-19 cases to keep rising, because they will. Scientific modelling suggests we could have several thousand cases before we see the measures we’re taking today having an impact.

But over time, we will see change if we all stick to the rules. I’ve also been asked about the increased presence of the police. The police, as you can imagine, are well used to questioning people under various circumstances. We do need to give the police the latitude to do their job and use discretion and common sense. It may take a bit of time for people to understand the rules, but the police will be working with them to help.

Yes, they know people need to go to their jobs at the supermarket; they need to go to work at hospital facilities.

The police will be monitoring public places. They will ask questions of people as they move to work or to shop at essential services or perhaps if they’re outside their homes. They will be able to talk to people, ask them about their activities. If someone has no explanation, they will remind them of their obligations, and, if they believe they need to, they can take other enforcement actions.

The police tell me they have a four-step process, with a range of options.

At first, they will engage with people, educate them about their obligations, and encourage them to follow the rules. Think of this as something like self-policing.

Secondly, they can issue official warnings if people step over the line. Next steps for breaching public order could be arrest and a trip to the police station for a cooling-off period.

And finally, the police can arrest and prosecute people for persistent breaches.

Now because this is the time to be kind, thank you to all those on the frontline. Thank you to the emergency services, the health sector, the transport sector, those supplying essential services like the food producers and retailers, the cleaners, the bank tellers, the supermarket checkout operators.

And thank you to the news media and those who are being creative on various channels, even on a personal Facebook post, to amuse and entertain us during these challenging times.

If this seems like an apocalyptic sci-fi movie, it’s one that is full of heroes. You can be one of them. Be kind, be calm, stay home, save lives.

■ Covid19.govt.nz: The Government’s official Covid-19 advisory website