Spikey things

Echinacea seed heads given a high key treatment.

I haven't said much about COVID-19 throughout our various stages of lockdown. Like everyone else I have an opinion.

I know one person who caught it. A fit and healthy 30-something. She spent 2 weeks bedridden and was ill for a month, unable to work from home during that time. She describes it as much worse than anything she's ever had.

Today I held a grief stricken woman. Her Mum died of COVID in another country. She couldn't go to be with her Mum who died alone in a hospital.

Her Mum was frail and elderly. She self-isolated in a country that did too little too late. Her Mum died a horrible death.

If a quarter of the staff where I work were ill from COVID we'd be in big trouble. It's not the same as that many staff having colds. We'd potentially lose people for weeks if not more. I have a number of colleagues with compromised immune systems. They're not elderly and some would likely die.

I'm glad NZ moved quickly, carefully and methodically assessing advice each day. Never erring from that as other opinions swirled and pre-election political point scoring begun.

That's not to say the response has been perfect. There are no easy answers to this virus and it exacts a heavy cost. I'm glad we've slowly and carefully arrived at level 1. I'm hopeful that NZ is now in a position to have the best shot at economic recovery.

Today's gratitude: For some great learnings at work today.