The previous entry, dated 3 June, has been sitting in draft form waiting for me to finish it off! Can’t believe that was 6 weeks ago.
Since then we are well and truly down the ‘almost normal’ path here in NZ with numbers at venues unlimited, sport being played in front of spectators, and schools and businesses have reopened. Sadly our neighbours across the Tasman are not doing so well and the state of Victoria is into its second lockdown for 6 weeks while they try to halt the rampant spread of this virulent disease. Major outbreaks are occurring in countries around the world and currently the only cases of Covid-19 in NZ are those that are being carried back by returning Kiwis - most from India and Pakistan but a couple from the UK and from the US. As people return they are required to have a 14 day isolation period in managed hotels (paid for at present by the NZ Government). If during that time they test positive for the virus they are removed to a quarantine hotel where there are other people recovering from the virus. People are tested on the 3rd day and the 12th day of their stay. If by Day 14 they are okay they are allowed to continue to their home town in NZ.
Because of what is happening outside of Aotearoa and the fact that some returning Kiwis are returning with virus symptoms, it is unlikely that the trans-Tasman bubble which was suggested some weeks ago will happen. Having said that, because the Pacific Islands seem to be free of the disease there may be an opportunity for travel and trade to be started up between NZ and the Pacific.
Some of the shops are running low on stock, especially clothing shops if their garments are produced in countries where the virus is till prevalent. If factories are not working then garments are not being produced, so there is likely to be a shortage of some things going forward. The other thing that is becoming in short supply is paracetamol as it is manufactured overseas. I’m sure there will be other things that we will notice as we get further into the year.