We've gone from togetherness in 2020 to division in 2021 and I'm over it
Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Auckland is now one of the world's most locked-down cities. We asked locals to share their experiences.
OPINION: Lockdown 2021. What a trip, a real rollercoaster.
This lockdown felt different from the outset.
In 2020 we were still learning what we were dealing with, so there was a feeling of togetherness.
We were all suffering together, and together we would beat it. And we did.
But from day one of this lockdown, there has been an air of indifference. As if people felt they didn’t have to play a part in beating back the virus.
Stay home, stay safe seemed to become stay home, stay safe, unless you can’t be bothered.
**READ MORE:
* Auckland Covid lockdown stories: Pouring from empty cups
* How New South Wales' roadmap to freedom can offer New Zealand hope**
Perhaps because last time I did lockdown in a small beach town, and this time I’m in Auckland, I’m noticing the different attitudes.
I asked my partner if there was this much traffic around? This many blatant breaches? This many people not keeping their distance when out walking?
She says no, she did the last lockdown here and has noticed the difference.
It’s disappointing and frustrating.
Early in the outbreak, we got down to eight new cases a day.
We were on the right track. We could have been free of Delta and back to normal life.
But it seems everyone is fed up and couldn’t be bothered doing what they’re asked. Now that will probably never happen.
We’ve lost that opportunity forever.
But now the frustration is turning to the fact that my freedom is being tied to the choices of other people.
I guess it always was, but now it is deemed we need a 90 per cent vaccination rate to start opening up. It’s directly pitted the vaccinated against the unvaccinated.
The challenge with setting a target like that is that there are those that will always choose not to be vaccinated, no matter what.
And the rest of us are held back because of that. I’m not against the right to choose, but I am frustrated that I will be directly affected by that.
I understand that this is being done to keep New Zealanders safe, but different people have different ideas of what being safe means.
At what point do we say that everyone has had enough time and opportunity to be vaccinated if they so choose?
I’m sure if we drew a line in the sand and opened up regardless, there will be the usual people shouting.
There have been through this whole lockdown, and often it’s the same people shouting both sides of the argument, depending on which way the wind is blowing.
'No lockdown, let us work.'
'Don’t open up, we haven’t been vaccinated.'
'We don’t want to be vaccinated, but don’t let Covid into our community.
'We don’t want travel restrictions. But we don’t want outsiders coming into our community.'
'We don’t want to be vaccinated, don’t want lockdowns, but want to be kept safe.'
'We want a pathway out of lockdown.'
'We don’t like that pathway.'
Well, what’s your idea then? How do we achieve that?
And if we open up as people want, that means Covid getting into the community. You can’t then complain when people get sick and die. We had our opportunity at beating it.
From all the togetherness in 2020, by comparison, 2021 has a strong feeling of division about it. And I’m over it.