Bare Necessities

So far NZ is faring remarkably well in the pandemic. Confirmed cases are rising rapidly, but no fatalities yet. It helps to have good border security (which comes from being an island at the far bottom corner of the world) and a social compact that seems to keep people working basically together.

We are finishing our first day of full lockdown. So far so good. The pool is closed and I’m working from home, but otherwise no significant changes in my normal weekday routine. The lack of cars outside is eerie and glorious. We went for a walk to the grocery store, which was calm and surprisingly well stocked. We found every item on our list. Later I went for a bike ride down by the beach.

The conditions are civilised… for example, the government is encouraging us to get out and exercise (with 2-metre social distancing). And all “essential services” including mail delivery, supermarkets, and trash pickup are still on. Buses and trains are still running, for free, so you can get to the grocery store.

And speaking of essential services, I got a nice email from the liquor store saying that online order and delivery of spirits has been declared an essential service.

Now I know I can weather the storm.