Delta - Too Close For Comfort

This last week, Covid Delta got too close for comfort.

On Sunday I attended the zoom memorial service for Rex Warwood, a character and news reporter for many years in Franklin. Covid 19 cast its line, caught Rex, and rather than ‘tag and release’ took his life. 

 

Up until that point, COVID certainly was a concern for me, I had not come in direct contact with the dangerous consequences. During the first lockdown of 2020 I worked through at the Foodbank and certainly understood the impact of people losing their jobs. Sometimes there were near 200 people lined up around the foodbank waiting for food when we arrived at work. Thanks to my employer I was already double vaccinated before Delta took hold this year. In fact, I had ‘retired’ the month before we locked down again, so I was confined to home.

That in itself was not so bad – there was plenty to do on our farm.

People and behaviour fascinate me and as I came across the various memes, posters, messages, and the like, I decided on a project. Through Facebook, I began collecting what I thought would form something of a pictorial historical record of thoughts during  the Delta lockdown. Each day I would post a number of these. I never expressed any thoughts, judgement or commentary choosing to remain apolitical.

As you will know, a decidedly different feeling began to emerge. During the first lockdown last year the sense of the team of 5 million, working together to eliminate Covid, was very real. However, it did not take long into the second lockdown for a whole different ‘edge’ began to emerge.

And as my project got underway, my connection with Rex was re-united as he took an active interest in what I was doing. Apart from comments about posts he and I exchanged emails and messages with it becoming clear he had some pretty strong views, not unusual for ‘Punchy’ as he was nicknamed.

However, there are some people where the relationship takes  precedence over opinion, and that was the case here as my respect for Rex and his past work meant that we could agree to disagree, and maybe engage in some debate, especially about the ‘conspiracy’. Sadly, Rex was an anti-vaxer. Regardless we had agreed we would catch up in person when restrictions eased up and share more of our respective life experience.

It had crossed my mind that I had not heard anything from him for a week or so. I sent him a message and received no response. And just as I was wondering if he was ok, I received the news that he had contracted COVID, been persuaded to go to hospital, where shortly after he died. May God rest his soul and comfort his family.

Evidence is a word that has been bandied around a lot during this Lockdown. It has become a word that has evoked a great deal of anger, counter argument, fiery opinion, denial and generated some downright nasty interaction. Prior to Rex’s death I could have been accused of adopting something of an academic / impersonal attitude toward Covid and a ahakoa he aha (whatever) view of Lockdown. 

Not anymore! It has come far too close for my comfort! It is personal now! I have all the evidence I need. 

You can read more about Rex on page 4 of the Franklin County News, December 2, 2021 - https://www.neighbourly.co.nz/e-edition/franklin-county-news/44520