Cautiously entering Alert Level 3
My suburb Mt Victoria wakes up to Alert Level 3: a wee bit more freedom
Today, 28 April 2080, New Zealand entered Alert Level 3. Happiness and hope are in the air. Certain businesses may now resume (with social distancing and strict hygiene measures). Even I, an at-risk older person, get new freedoms. Or do I? The deadly and/or throws the responsibility back on me.
I may go for a swim! Or do a day walk! Or get a takeaway coffee!
But wait a minute. I’m one those people who are at higher risk of severe illness should they contract COVID-19. This includes people who are aged 70 and over and/or have certain existing health conditions.
Let me unpick that confusing and/or. Yes, I’m well over 70. And/or I don‘t have certain existing health conditions.
When I got my flu jab last week, my GP said that the risk in New Zealand was now very low, that we had virtually stamped the coronavirus out. Great. She also said (but not in the same paragraph) that as a person of 80 without any of the common diseases, I would probably live to 100.
I could choose to interpret that as permission to go swimming and walk all day and queue for a takeaway coffee.
Or I could think about how my family is so protective and so keen for me to avoid the coronavirus. I’m a vicar’s daughter so I want to do the right thing. If I do something that is marginally stretching the boundaries, I probably won’t tell you.
Meantime it’s a happy, sunny, blue-skies day. Day one of Alert Level 3, scheduled (if all goes well) to drop to Level 2 in two weeks’ time. Time for a happy dance. Swimming two weeks from now?
New Zealand Government Alert System: Level 3
No blanket general ovation fits all. Some 70’s are in far younger and in better shape (and have more commonsense) than others in the age group.
(You’ll probably live to 100)
All true. And true that most of us think of ourselves as the exception to the rule.
Oh how wonderful that sounds! Whilst you are working out what your timeline to swimming (and walking and takeaway coffee) will be I suggest you dance like no-one is looking. And have a spin for me 💃
Hope you enjoy every minute of getting to 100………………and beyond!
Marvelous! You will do what you think best, and that will be best for you. We all vote that you will live to be 100.
So the referendum results are in.
enjoy the swim, or the walk, or whatever – I’d say at 80, you’ve earned it.
Good point!
Ah to live in a country which takes a sane approach to it all. Here we may stay indoors indefinitely as far as I can tell.
Take care and stay safe Rachel
I’m just under 70 but I’m really restricted because I have “underlying health issues” – one of which links directly to the respiratory system. So I’m not allowed to do terribly much until we get back to Level 1… and I’m not keen to risk too much of anything, even if our community transition appears to be zilch.
Yes, I’ve broken the rules I think twice – but the particular dairy I went to – certainly only had one at a time – had the door entry blocked with a trolley and someone manning the entry. Actually I had to wait outside twice but it wasn’t a big deal, as there was only me in the queue.
I’ve set up food delivery to home, and last week I had to purchase a new landline, via contactless delivery…and it went well.
I’ve got to go to the chemist today, as I need a specialised plaster-thing for my arm …. I’ll be using the same one I used for the flu’ jab as the dedicated Mall entry for him, is lesser than the one that links to a supermarket. I only have heresay on actual shopping in a supermarket…
I’ve had some moments of course, days where suddenly I’ve got overwhelmed…but I have some great younger pals online who are there (Messenger) and ready to help with advice. I spent nearly an hour one night on messenger with a pal on a 12 week lockdown in the UK. We talked about that…then talked about our respective art-making…
I’m often home alone (even before all this) so not a lot changed other than MY CHOICE OF FREEDOM…freedom to wander around my entire city, select my own food, window shop for a phone/other, buy a brownie or get an iced chocolate drink, go to the beach (none near me)…
but it’s safer for me to have “cabin fever” than to be sick!
Yes, a bit of ‘up to your own conscience’ is in play. And at the same time, we are being urged to stay at home and not socialise. I think that the younger ones have done (and are doing) their bit (largely) and so it is up to us oldies to keep faithful to the cause – keep doing our bit. If the rebel in us prompts us to do borderline stuff (after all our age group were born to be rebels) we will, as you say, keep mum. Shtum. The phrase ‘rules are made to be broken’ keeps tumbling in my mind these days. My own late mother was a bad example! However, in this case there’s more at stake if that is indeed becomes a motivation.
The thing is, level 3 may be over in two weeks. So I’m going to be conservative.
Yay. Well done neighbour!
We live in the middle of fields. A road into the nearest small town passes the field under my window and has been very quiet in recent weeks. Yesterday the traffic was almost like a normal working Monday, In spite of our lockdown having been extended for another three weeks.
That’s strange, the change. I wonder why.
yesterday it rained all day. The road was quiet. That could be a clue?
Hope it all goes well, we’re watching from across the pond 🥰
Strange to be so uncertain.