Update on COVID-19 – The real and practical from AJV.


Update on COVID-19 – The real and practical from AJV.

Now these are not ordinary times these are reasonably unprecedented times in the history of humanity I'm 51 years old and I have never come across an international global situation like this where you're pretty much the whole of humanity is wandering is going to happen with this new virus that has taken over the world called corona viruses something we have all been hearing in the news over the last few days of course not they've given it a name called COVID-19 so the COVID-19 has sort of taken a strong grip across the world and of course the Ground Zero so to speak or the main center was Wuhan in China and then it spread from there and it has looks like Europe has now become the next epicenter so what about a country like New Zealand which are also ace of course you know we might be a far-flung island nation at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean but up at the end of the day we are part of the comity of you know world nations and so what is New Zealand doing about this particular thing and especially for all of you who follow my work and that of my team who are planning to make a move to New Zealand you must be wondering so what exactly is the situation here in New Zealand so here I am sharing some updates about what is happening with COVID-19 in New Zealand and I'll be honest till about last week I was sort of you know I'll say I was reasonably indifferent to all the news that was coming from across the world but over the last two or three days so I think the nature and the tone of the cautions we are getting from our own government has gone up and the Prime Minister has now announced certain restrictions which I believe are one of the toughest in the world apparently just as similar to Israel which is also put in place a very strong system of preventing the spread of this particular virus so what New Zealand has done is that New Zealand has also introduced certain restrictions so this is especially for those of you who are planning to migrate or come about to come here on a student visa so what we have done is here in New Zealand if you have been in any country except those listed in category 2 and the last 14 days then you have to stay at home which is called self-isolation for 14 days from the date of departure or close contact so they are so if you are essentially that means practically any country because the category 2 only refers to certain countries in the Pacific region which seems to be largely unaffected because I guess also by virtue of being you know island nations I don't know I'm not a scientist but I'm just hazarding against there so if you're it from a category 2 country which is from one of the Pacific nations and like Fiji Tonga Tuvalu and those kinds of places then I think you don't have to go into self-isolation but if you are coming from any other country then you have to go into self-isolation in New Zealand for 14 days from the date of departure of when you left their countries and so if you arrive in New Zealand before the midnight on Sunday 16th or you know a Sunday 15th March from any country except Italy or South Korea you will you know if you had arrived before this particular date there was no need of self-isolation but I mean since that day has passed anybody arriving now into New Zealand has to go into self-isolation so what are the self-isolation means so staying at home is actually a precautionary measure to protect those around you your family your friends and your colleagues and you know from possibly contracting the COVID-19 virus and so self-isolation is nothing but an effective measure of prevention so I know and the government is asking people to take simple common-sense steps to avoid close contact with other people as much as possible just like you know well it happens during the flu season you take good care and you know of not being in was contact with people and it basically the government is advising whoever arrives into New Zealand and after the you know Sunday at midnight Sunday that you know you need to go into 14 days of self-isolation and as much as possible you should limit your contact with people other than the family members or companions your travel with that's what it is and they're also strongly recommending that should avoid having visitors to your home but it is okay for friends family or delivery drivers to drop off food and supplies now that is a very important point so you have to kind of stay in the orbit if let's say you have booked yourself into the air B&B or into our hotel room or into a bed-and-breakfast sort of a situation then friends family and delivery drivers can still deliver food to you but you need to stay indoors so that is what the government is advising so and there are certain other things so that they're advising they're saying wash your hands often they're asking you to cover your coughs and sneezes so you know you don't just go HA HA HA  in the middle of a public but we are we are taught to cough into the crook of our hand so that you know there you're not spreading your germs and viruses the government is advising that face masks are actually not very effective so but if it gives you some semblance of mental peace to have a face mask go ahead and wear one but the government health line is saying that really you know they are not very effective and while you are at you know let's say you have booked yourself into a hostile into your institution or in a some other place then they are suggesting while you stay at home try to separate yourself from the people you live with so that you know the spread is limited so that the government is advising that you should not share a bed with others and you don't want to try and create a sleeping arrangements where you are not sharing common areas so that is and its they are also suggesting that you minimize the time you spend in shape spaces such as bathrooms kitchens and sitting rooms as much as possible and keep shaped spaces well-ventilated so that is another suggestion that the that you're giving and if they're saying if you use a shape toilet and a bathroom which is quite common to a lot of students who come in and you know they initially start off by using shade spaces including bathrooms then it is saying the government is strongly recommending that it's important that you clean them after you have used them every time for example wiping surfaces you have come into contact with and you may wish to be the last to use the shower or bath in the morning or evening to make this easier on those who you live with so that's another thing that but they are suggesting they're saying don't not to have visitors at your home that's quite clear and they are also about laundry they are saying do not shake dirty laundry this minimizes the possibility of dispersing the virus through the air so don't take your dirty laundry and shake it in the air so you know it may be easier for someone else to fold and put away common laundry items such as travels and tea towels and provide a supply for you so you should fold and put away your own laundry items so yeah if you live with an older or vulnerable people you know which is probably not a likely scenario but there are certain steps that you also need to take you know especially if you are taking care of somebody older which is I think one of the things that's happening with the virus is it seems to be affecting slightly older people this is very important this is advice for using alternative accommodation like rental homes hotels motels air B&B hired vehicles in Texas and it says if you need to stay at home for 14 days and are considering using alternative accommodation you must advise them in advance of your need to self-isolate the majority of people who will need to stay at home will be healthy but suppliers may make their own decision whether to allow you to use their provisions and compliance with regarding in you know regulations and regarding the industry now and if you so they are asking you to you know stay indoors and also about transportation about taxes when you arrive in New Zealand you may need to travel from the airport where you arrive to another part of New Zealand to get home for example by playing train or bus you do not have self-isolate when you where you arrive in New Zealand you can't continue off the destination where yourself isolate for example arriving at often International Airport but you know let's say coming to Hamilton you can book a bus or taxi and move from Auckland to Hamilton where possible while traveling sit in a window seat in a row by yourself if  you're unwell you should seek advice from health line before you travel onwards and Health Line is the government Department of which  it's set up by the Ministry of Health which helps people I'll give you the number to contact at the end of this little introduction about what measures New Zealand is taking to suppress the COVID 19 virus and what you know and if they are also suggesting while traveling if you're using the public transport from the place you've arrived to where you need to go that make sure you use hand sanitizer regularly if you need to cough or sneeze or repeat this for more time they are saying cover your mouth or nose or it can cough or you know sneeze into your sleeve so ideally have you know a clean knife clean handkerchief and cover yourself properly when you cough or sneeze or the other way of doing it is into the crook of your arm so that you don't spread or just into your sleeve like that you know this way normally people tend to do and you can only use public transport after you arrived in New Zealand for the sole purpose of returning to your home you can't use public transport taxis or similar transport methods during your 14 days period you know of when you have the self-isolate and you can use however your own transport whenever you wish so you know if you have a bike or a car which is already available when you come to New Zealand we'll be able to do that okay now getting food and medicine where possible contact a friend family member or delivery services to carry out errands like supermarket shopping on your behalf because you have to self-isolate but I don't have a self-isolate because I'm already living in New Zealand so let's say you're my friend and you arrived into Hamilton you can call me and say hey Aaron can you help me to get some groceries because I can't leave my home so a friend can do that and possibly leave the groceries outside your door which you can then take inside and we at AJV understanding that students and people who have already made plans and have been planned to come to New Zealand we have now set up a special person inside our team here in New Zealand whose only job is to be like to support all our students it aligns we're going to arrive after Sunday and who will need to go into self-isolation and for those 14 days guys and girls I promise you AJV we will stand by you and that is another advantage that all of you both have so if you have to go into self-isolation I don't care which part of the country you are in pick up the number phone and give us a call  and tell us they look this is my situation can I get some local help and we will hire one of our people on the ground in whatever city you're in to come and help you with food and medicines and those kinds of things so you know and also the other important thing about isolating yourself especially if you've just come into a new country is that you might begin to feel a little anxious and you know and you might suffer from a little bit of AJV and we will stand by you and support you and if required we will hook you up with some friends here from our AJV community from our AJV family who will share some kind of a common background with you and they will talk you through this period for this two weeks and help you to you know move forward so that is something that we at AJV would also like to do I have also received confirmation from some of the institutions which say that because you have to self-isolate as soon as you to New Zealand stay in self-isolation whether you staying in a hostel or somebody's home or your book the hotel or wherever else just stay there and but take a picture of your entry stamp onto your from your passport and email it to the office to the institution where you are supposed to go if you can't do it send it to AJV and we will send it on your behalf and we will also pick up the phone and let them know that you got you have arrived into the country and that you are under the mandatory self-isolation and anything else that AJV can do so I would also strongly recommend that before you leave the airport if we get into that taxi to go to your place where you have to self-isolate yourself please pick up a local SIM card at the airport because if you are connected to the Internet and pick up a SIM card with the end of data on it so that you know we can but again if you have any problems whatsoever and you forgot to pick up that SIM card or you did something else give us a call on the toll free number which is the toll-free number for all AJV clients in New Zealand and we will have it monitored very regularly from now onwards so any emergencies let's say somebody forgot to get your SIM card from you know the airport we will try and organize the SIM card for you and have it delivered to wherever you're staying so that you can stay connected with family and friends and also call us but you can call us on 0800696977 because it's a toll-free number which means there is no charge for you to call that particular number so from our side at AJV we are going to do everything possible so that you guys and girls who are coming into New Zealand after Sunday who have to go into self-isolation will still be taken care of because you are part of our family and we understand it will not be an easy entry into New Zealand but we will stand by you and in short that this time passes without too much of a challenge or trouble for you so that is one of the beauties of coming to New Zealand as an AJV person and the institutions have told us that no problem they as long as the letters not that they have arrived into the country there is no problem with so they just need to get proof from your passport that you've entered so take a picture with your phone and either directly send it to the institution or send it to your AJV officer and then we will forward it on to the institution so I promise you as the person who started this company and who manager said that I and my team we will stand by you and ensure it becomes a you know a reasonably good experience despite the very unprecedented circumstances that we are going through so they have not said the borders in New Zealand borders are open but it has become mandatory for anybody arriving after Sunday to go into self-isolation for 14 days and this is going to be implemented quite seriously girl guys so don't think that you know you can say I'm in self isolation and kind of move out and do things please understand you're coming into a country which takes its rules and regulations very seriously and you know I think they're going to have spot checks and they're going to do a few other things to ensure that people who are meant to be in self-isolation are actually self-isolated and if they find that you have not self-isolated the prime minister gave a rather stern warning she said that there will not be a verse to deporting these people out of the country so please do not risk your entire future in New Zealand by trying to step outside when you're in self-isolation instead call us at AJV and we will do whatever we can of course you know we know that you are coming in as grown-up mature intelligent people who will be able to take care of the situation practically all by yourself but for anything else that you can't you know you're running short of food well you need SIM card or you need some medicines or you need any other support give us a call and we will come there we will send somebody or one of us will come there from our team and they will take care of you.


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