Keep calm — and wash your hands

Uncertain times can bring out the worst in some people, so it is no surprise there has been some pointless, awful and silly behaviour around Covid-19.

Social media keyboard warriors, convinced they know everything about everything, have vilified some who have contracted the illness.

The risk of this is that it might make others reluctant to seek help if they have symptoms or to soldier on rather than risk being bullied, exposing others to risk.

It was also disappointing, given the general criticism of Aucklanders’ panic buying at supermarkets last weekend following the announcement of the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in New Zealand, to hear National MP David Bennett encouraging panic buying.

What he hoped to gain from this was unclear. After attracting considerable unwelcome attention for his thoughtless remarks, he later apologised.

Perhaps the media need to be careful not to question people such as Mr Bennett about the Covid-19 outbreak as they may be ill-equipped to answer rationally.

Panic buying can have unintended consequences, as was pointed out by microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles.

She knew of an immune-compromised person who needed to carry hand sanitiser for protection because of her condition and had been unable to buy it.

National Party leader Simon Bridges’ and deputy Paula Bennett’s attempts to politicise issues around the response to the outbreak are not impressive. If they cannot keep people like Mr Bennett from making silly statements why should anybody listen to them? We can understand they could have a role to point out any glaring errors in the Government response, but so far their concerns have been feeble. It is a risky political ploy.

Is there a case for taking the politics out of this by involving all parliamentary parties in briefings and giving them an opportunity to share any bright ideas they may have, to discourage them from creating controversy and confusion for the sake of it?

It has, however, been refreshing to hear from those who are not panicking. Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O’Connor has shown common sense in dealing with his school’s situation. One of his pupils has a family member with Covid-19. He does not have symptoms of the illness himself, is not infectious, and is now isolated at home

Mr O’Connor made the call not to allow pupils to wear face masks to school. As he rightly pointed out, there was no-one with the illness at the school and he felt wearing of facemasks, as well as being pointless, would create hysteria. Nor was he copying another school in the same situation which was doing a deep clean of the school and curtailing assemblies.

Despite there being few cases in New Zealand, the effect of the global situation is already hurting some businesses, including forestry and those which rely on tourists, and the situation is likely to get worse.

It is unfortunate that fear of the disease is also stopping some New Zealanders from frequenting eateries, adding to the impact on these businesses which are already suffering from the tourism downturn.

The Government’s decision to waive the stand-down period for people moving to a benefit because of the impact of Covid-19 is welcome and longer term other support measures may be needed.

People tempted to pound the keyboard to criticise ill people or ethnicities, might be better to spend their energy supporting affected businesses where they can.

As this event unfolds, keeping a sense of proportion, not being side-tracked by disinformation, and keeping up-to-date with Ministry of Health advice is what is required. Call the healthline first if you think you have symptoms, do not go to work if you are ill, practise good hand and cough hygiene and remember that, for most people, Covid-19 is not a severe illness.