New Zealand is under nationwide lockdown due to a resurgence of the coronavirus.
In an effort to provide some brightness in these difficult times, various media outlets are introducing amusing stories and people who are making an impact during the lockdown.
Coronavirus Minister's Mistake
Coronavirus Response Minister Chris Hipkins said at a press conference:
"Stretch your legs"
That is what
"Spread your legs"
The word "spread" is also used to describe the spread of a virus, so it seems he accidentally said "stretch" instead of "spread."
Many Kiwis responded immediately to this!
"The Minister told me to!"
Many videos and photos of people spreading their legs were posted on social media. If you look on Twitter with the hashtag #SpreadYourLegsNZ, you'll see that not only people from New Zealand have posted photos, but also photos of dogs and cats with their legs spread.
This story was also covered by overseas media. Here is an article from Canada that compiles photos of her with her legs spread that were posted on social media.
Minister Hipkins, immediately after making the mistake,
I'm sure I'll get a lot of laughs from them later.
" he said with a bitter smile. Later,
I think my mistake has provided a lot of laughs, so now it's your turn to give back by getting vaccinated.
He commented,
TV presenter stopped by police
Ryan Bridge, who recently became the new host of a morning news show, was stopped by the police on his way to work just before 4am. Bridge was dressed a little suspiciously, wearing a hat and a hoodie over his head, and the police didn't believe him when he said the BMW he was driving was his. The situation became even more suspicious when the BMW was registered in someone else's name (his partner).
So Bridge pointed to a nearby building where the broadcasting station where she worked was located, but the police officer didn't recognize her as a TV presenter.
"I'm a little embarrassed..."
So I Googled myself, showed the police the results on my screen, and they finally understood who I was, and that I was on my way to work.
Bridge immediately used the incident as material on his show, and it was the second time he'd been stopped by the police.
The police were very nice and did a good job.
It was a typical New Zealand episode, where people are not allowed to go out unnecessarily due to the lockdown.
Lockdown Hero
The major media outlet NZ Herald has launched a section called "Lockdown Heroes," in which they solicit information from readers to introduce people who have been active during the lockdown or who have contributed to their communities.
Donation to pediatric wards
Rebecca Hagitt raised funds from those around her to donate food and other items to parents accompanying their children hospitalized at the children's hospital.
During the lockdown, only one designated person can accompany a hospitalized child, meaning parents are unable to take turns getting a break. Hagit's own daughter was hospitalized for six months for a liver transplant, so she knows firsthand the difficulties of caring for a sick child, which is why she decided to make this donation.
Hagitt said,
Parents will happily live on toast for a week in order to be with their children full time.
Imagine the feelings of the parents who were devoted to caring for their sick children.
We sent out a lot of necessary items, but also included some delicious snacks like biscuits. We hope that this will cheer them up even a little and provide encouragement.
He said.
Restaurants offer free meals
Tony's, a restaurant in Auckland that opened in the 1960s, is one of the oldest restaurants in the city and has been loved by locals for nearly 60 years. Despite suffering major losses due to its closure due to the lockdown, Tony's is delivering free meals to those in need during the lockdown.
Some people can't leave their homes or feed their families.
said restaurant owner Chris Sinclair.
Local people who were touched by Sinclair's actions donated food such as eggs and vegetables. Some even donated a large freezer to keep the meals frozen!
I'm amazed at the generosity of the people in this city. Some of our regular restaurant owners are unable to open their doors during the lockdown just like the rest of us. We all need to come together in these difficult times.
said Sinclair.
This is the restaurant's signature dish, carpet bag steak. Originally a favorite among British workers, it is made by cutting a slit in rib roast meat, sandwiching an oyster between the pieces and grilling it. It became popular in New Zealand and Australia in the 1950s and 1960s, around the time Tony's opened. Over time, it has evolved from a casual dish to a more upscale dish. This is one restaurant you should definitely visit.
Plant exchange brings community together
During the lockdown last year, which was implemented immediately after the spread of infection, many people placed teddy bears in their windows to express their desire to get through this together. During the lockdown, people were allowed to go for walks around the neighborhood, so people with children enjoyed finding teddy bears in windows during their walks.
Similarly, during this lockdown, some families have come up with new ideas to entertain their communities.
Darnella Eparaima, who lives in Rotorua, a popular tourist destination on the North Island famous for its hot springs, started a plant exchange with her 3-year-old daughter Natalia. Eparaima, who has always loved plants, prepared many cuttings of ornamental plants together with Natalia and lined them up in front of her house along with a sign. The sign read,
"Plant Exchange - Bring one plant and take one home"
It says, "Yes, this plant exchange is about exchanging plants with your neighbors. At first, they just wanted to have people take their plants for free, but they thought it would be more interesting to exchange them, so they started this initiative."
My daughter Natalia was delighted that the replacement plant was bigger than the original. It's just as fun as the teddy bear in the window. I think it brings brightness to the neighborhood.
Eparaima said.
There are 83 new cases of COVID-19 in the New Zealand community today; 82 are in Auckland, one is in Wellington. pic.twitter.com/0n5ff7xe6P
— Unite against COVID-19 (@covid19nz) August 29, 2021
The total number of infected people in New Zealand has finally reached 551. The effects of the lockdown are starting to show, and the number of infected people should be decreasing, but the lockdown is still in place.
