Well yesterday was interesting. I was accused a fair bit of turning into a raging Tory. To clarify, I don’t want people to die of COVID-19 either. I have chronic asthma, so I have a bit of extra risk there as well.

Ironically, it’s because of my lefty social conscience that I’m worried about the economic devastation lockdown is causing. Some people see the word ‘economy’ and must thing ‘business, corporates, etc.’ but the economy actually has the most massive impact on people - whānau.

I’m not saying for a second that we should end this lockdown willy nilly and go back to BAU. I am saying that I hope our leaders are thinking VERY carefully about ways to get things going again as quickly as it’s relatively safe to.

The lockdown will undoubtedly save lives. I suspect, and it’s hugely unpopular to say this but we need to contemplate all sides of it, that it will also kill some people. Suicide, domestic violence. Not everyone is happily playing board games with their lovely families at home.

It will also likely cause financial stress to many families that will take years to recover from. People will lose their jobs and homes. Young people will find it incredibly hard to get a job when no one is hiring.

It is possible to accept that the lockdown has been necessary and also worry desperately about the impacts it’s having on families. That’s where I’m at. In these times we all want to oversimplify and brand people right/wrong/good/bad. It’s much more nuanced than that.

So please don’t make me out to be the devil. I see both sides. I am at higher risk medically (I also was hospitalised for swine flu - which was the absolute sickest I’ve ever been) and I’ve also lost all my income. I know others are in the same boat and I’m sending aroha to all.