Does this mean me?

We trust this message finds you all well and our thanks to everyone for their efforts so far as we work our way through the unique set of circumstances we find ourselves in. I know it has been said many times already, but we really are in uncharted waters and are all being asked to operate in ways we are not used to. This includes giving up luxuries and activities that we may have taken for granted as part of our everyday lives.

As we head towards week three of the lockdown, it is important that we keep sight of the goal – which is to be united in our fight against Covid -19.

We all know what we have to do. We have to stay home. We have had lots of feedback and questions about what this actually means? Can I do this? Can I do that? Does this mean me? Yes, it does and yes it is that simple. Stay home – save lives.

It doesn’t mean spend half of the day at the beach, or go for a drive across the Western Bay to go for a bike ride and put others at risk. The message is clear - stay home. We all know we can head out for food and medicine or to complete our work as part of an essential service. But outside of that? Unless it’s a bit of exercise in your own neighbourhood, stay home, please. The rest of New Zealand will thank you for it.

A number of questions have also been raised about essential businesses and how staff employed by them are identified as they move around while the Level 4 restrictions are in place. Information on this can be found on the Government website covid19.govt.nz. This website also contains a comprehensive list of the types of businesses defined as essential.

It is this website that should be relied upon as a single point of truth for all matters that relate to Covid-19.

My final challenge to us all is this. Rather than manipulating the guidelines to find a way that will best fit what you would like to do in your day, let’s instead use them for the purpose that they were written, which is to keep us safe and to save lives in our community.

Be kind - Stay safe.