Haere mai

Hello Everyone,

I cannot speak about living in and out of lockdowns with hundreds of infected covid-19 cases a day and a total amount of deaths in the six figures and/or being a frontline worker and/or being a business owner during this covid-19 pandemic and/or not having enough money for the basic necessities of rent, electricity, water and food and in my case, internet, but I can speak to living a relatively normal life before and during the pandemic.

I have been wearing a mask outside my house since late January 2020, definitely a month before WHO officially announced covid-19 was a pandemic, if not more than a month. Restrictions have been tightened and loosened here depending on the situation: QR scanning (which I don't do, but I write down my details if required to enter); temperature checks (I do depending); capacity caps; opening hours restrictions, no social distancing because it's not feasible on public transport, supermarkets and on the street; hand sanitizers, wet wipes are normal; automatic doors are commonplace and years before covid-19 existed; no lockdown ever; closures and re-openings of schools, libraries, sports centres, children's playgrounds among other 'locations'; plazas have been open throughout; border restrictions; an efficient and fairly flexible vaccination programme which caters more to the population than the programme: a choice from two vaccines, a written and digital record with a QR code, you can pick the date and time of your first jab and the only requirement for your second is it is 3 weeks/21 days after the first, otherwise you can choose as many weeks above that gap as you want; financial support directly from the government to the individuals via internet banking; financial support from the government to businesses; no protests against restrictions; a free reusable mask from the government in 2020; a free covid test in 2020; free saliva covid tests at vending machines; more financial support direct from the government to individuals but with requirements to spend it in shops and/or public transport to 'boost the local economy' (stupid in my opinion).

I have worked from home only once for about one calendar month since January 2020. This was at the request of my employer: I think it was genuinely because we knew not that much about the virus at that point and we were going through a spike or maybe even another wave. Even then, not everyone worked from home I think, they just made sure there were less people in the office.

The restrictions here work for us. I am in one of the safest places in the World to contain covid. On a global scale, our infected case numbers and deaths are great, that is to say low, especially when compared to the US, England, Australia and others. We are an influential economic and tourist hub internationally: so there is a huge financial loss (which I personally don't give a fuck about, human health and life is more important) but means the government are aware of potential spread of covid if they don't manage incoming and outgoing traffic through the border.

The government also have experience of health problems in the community and having to deal with them: they were more prepared than other governments and populations who had basically no experience.

I am more scared of hearing and reading about what people on the frontline are going through, than scared of covid-19. I have enough faith in the government in this regard. I also educate myself so I understand about covid instead of just ignore it because it's too scary or decide to be ignorant or for any other reason. Knowing is better for me, even if reading about covid to better understand it is difficult and emotional.

If you're scared, do not like the unknown and uncertainty of your future which is basically having a lot less control over your life, want my advice/opinion and/or to talk about anything else that has a connection with covid, haere mai, viens là, vengas aquí, send me an e-mail using the 'Contact me' form and I'll do my best.

1. I can tell you it is possible to live a lot like life was before the pandemic during the pandemic, albeit with restrictions, and in more detail if you e-mail me

2. Covid has made a lot of us deal with a lot psychologically. Many people don't even understand lockdown/restrictions are psychological: you want the option of going out or flying on a plane, even if you don't actually want to

I believe I can help you psychologically, I am aware of the mental aspect of myself which may be useful to you.

Otherwise, I can provide insight to yourself that may help.

3. I can talk to some extent on covid-19 vaccines, specifically Pfizer-BioNTech

4. I can explain how a lot of money and manpower are very helpful in containing covid (such as emptying a whole apartment block within 12 hours and quarantining everyone); as well as other important contributing factors in responding to covid

5. I can talk about some consequences covid has caused such as women's equality going backwards,

6. I have contacts/ information from the World over, some from places the hardest hit by covid so my perspective is wide and knowledge through many lenses

7. I will be flying when it is easier, so I can tell you how I plan to do that and/or give you advice. Travel is in my blood and nothing will stop me, within reason

8. I am used to not physically seeing my family regularly. I might be able to provide comfort or ways to cope if you're not used to seeing your family on an irregular basis

I am reaching out to all, but especially those living in New Zealand. The majority of you have no idea of what you are going through, you have no experience of health problems like this, I know your psyche and the lifestyle many of you are used to. You're complacent towards covid and need to get better and accept level 3 or 4 instead of complaining, but it hurts me so much to hear about the spread of covid. I am emotionally supporting you.

Do not question the past, deal with the present. Accept the uncertainty and unknown of the future to a large extent. You can still plan, but without dates. I still have a list which mainly involves travel and I'm still saving money. I don't know when but I will travel.

And for people who believe travel pre-pandemic will stop forever, it won't. It may be different, but it will start again. Humans are too connected now to not fly. That's like believing from now on we should only have ten people on each mode of public transport or even not have public transport after the pandemic is manageable, or over. No.

-A.M.

P.S. I did have this typed up and it was beautiful but then I lost the original and it's no one's fault but mine.

P.P.S. I think I mentioned most if not all the restrictions in place here and if not, the ones relevant to the point I'm making.