Waatea News Column: This Pandemic will test us as a People and as a Nation

With this Pandemic, we are about to enter a once in a generation unique crisis that will test us as a People and as a Nation.

As a species we don’t mathematically come across exponential growth much and so don’t appreciate the speed with which a Pandemic hits and spreads.

A novel virus we don’t have an immunity to that spreads with ease in a globalised economy becomes a human health emergency as well as an economic meltdown, and we will face both.

This Government’s most recent travel restrictions are some of the strongest right now with the ability to dramatically ramp up if there is an outbreak.

This is a tactic to delay the virus becoming a pandemic here, but we only just have to miss once and the virus just has to beat us once to invoke mass disruption domestically.

The globalised supply chains will snap as international trade dries up and gets caught in quarantine shutdowns.

We will feel this impact on medicines and many mass-produced products which will already be exacerbated by panic buying.

From school closures, industry shutdowns and quarantines, life is about to get very different for many people and because the virus will overwhelm hospitals if it becomes a pandemic, many people will get sick and the fear of that sickness will change peoples consumer behaviours in ways difficult to ignore.

The Government’s financial response will need to acknowledge this and be prepared to put money directly into many peoples pockets and keep public services and clear information open.

There is an end to this escalating social and economic damage, and that is when a vaccine is available, but that won’t be for 12-18months.

In the meantime, we are going to have to refocus what is important and see this sudden need to work together as a wake-up call to a range of similar threats to us all.

There is a silver lining to this pandemic, but we must be courageous enough to weave it.

First published on Waatea News.