A Decade in New Zealand

Shelter in Place Anzac biscuits with poppy

It was 10 years ago today Fayne and first arrived in New Zealand on Anzac Day, April 25, 2010. What started as an expected "three hour tour" (actually a six month medical locums) evolved into the defining moment of our last decade, as we have spent the majority of the years since living and working in New Zealand. That includes being in New Zealand or Australia on this date nine of the last 10 years.
I have written about Anzac Day several times, but in summary:

• I first encountered it as an odd holiday on calendars (Anzac Day- Australia, New Zealand), and from spotting seasonal Anzac biscuits (cookies) in Safeway for some reason.
• I found it to be the most sacred date in both countries, a day of solemn remembrance of their first combat action in the First World War, April 25, 1915.
• Traditions include wearing a symbolic red poppy, dawn services, and commemorative ceremonies and sometimes marches. 
• The motto is Lest We Forget which you see cemeteries and hear frequently.

Timaru Cemetery near our wee house

That first trip began my series of travel blogs, and if you re interested here is the link to my first post from Timaru shortly after arriving here.

COVID-19 Update, New Zealand

This Anzac Day differs from all the rest as there were no gatherings, only standing silently alone or with your bubble by your mail box at dawn. The COVID news here is very encouraging. Since I reported two weeks ago, the total number of confirmed cases in the country has only increased 149 to 1,461, with 1,118 considered recovered. The deaths have risen from four to 18 with only seven patients in the hospital. In South Canterbury we have 16 known cases, 8 recovered and one still hospitalized.
The country remains on Level 4 lock-down but will reduce to Level 3 on Tuesday after the three day weekend. We remain at that level for at least two weeks, and things will still be quite restricted. One's bubble can expand a bit, some businesses can open if they can avoid face-to-face contact, take-out food OK but no dining in, some outdoor recreation will be allowed, and limited travel. Elective surgery will be resumed. If we all continue to do well I hope we will be able to loosen up even more.
Fayne and I continue to do well, are healthy, relatively sane, although that IV bleach didn't work out as well as we had hoped.
We trust you are all doing well, and long for the day we can be together (and maybe even hug!).

New Zealand COVID-19 Update- Easter Sunday 2020

Happy Easter and Passover to all!

This is the brief third entry in my series about my experience in New Zealand in the age of COVID-19. We are in our third week of nation-wide shutdown and the evidence shows it is working so far. Since my last report two weeks ago the number of cases identified in New Zealand has gone from 451 to 1,312, and in the South Canterbury district from 3 to 11. We have had our first two COVID positive patients in the hospital, one a 30 y.o. doing well enough to go home, and another older patient not in the ICU. The curve is truly beginning to flatten, which is very encouraging.

 

The shelter in place orders have at least another 10 days to go. Assuming there is no major bump over Easter (which is a four-day weekend here including Good Friday and Easter Monday), perhaps we can slowly roll things back a bit. The first easing might be to allow restaurants to do fast food windows and take-away, but we'll see.

The hospital remains on high alert and every new phase is greeted with more anxiety, tension, and confusion than I would like to see, but we have not been overwhelmed, and I hope we won't be.
Two more deaths in the country were announced today bringing the total to four. Three of the four were from rest homes and the other suffered with chronic lung disease. The vast majority are connected to international travel so it seems like community transmission is thankfully still rare.
New Zealand's success so far has been noted in the USA. This Washington Post article is entitled "New Zealand isn't just flattening the curve. It's squashing It". The daily press briefing from the Prime Minister and health authorities strikes the right tone of concern, accuracy, guidance, empathy, and when needed a bit of scolding. 

The enemy

We are in a situation here similar to what I hear from my stateside friends and relatives: our bubbles are safe and calm for now but trying to prepare for what might come.
We are transitioning to a lovely autumn in Timaru, and we can still enjoy walks through the Botanic Garden and along the adjacent coastline.

Please all stay healthy and safe. I will continue to update periodically as things evolve here, and we still hope to make it back home mid-May.